Climbing the Walls of Songak
by PopRockShawty
Summary: I couldn't help but meet this prince's gaze. He just had this singular ability to look into my eyes and make me feel as though he was staring directly into my soul, sizing me up, preparing to do something to me, although I could only guess at what exactly. How could someone so good-looking possibly incite fear in me? He was arousing something in me, but not fear. It was passion.
1. On The First Page Of Our Story

**Climbing the walls** _ **[idiom]**_ **: to feel frustrated, helpless, and trapped.**

* * *

 **(949 AD)**

 **(Assembly Chamber, Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Gwangjong's POV~

"As punishment for treason, I hereby sentence Wang Won, the 9th Prince, son of King Taejo of Goryeo and Lady Dongyangwon, to die," I announced. There was neither mercy nor grace in my tone, even though my subjects often liked to praise me as merciful and gracious whenever they knelt and bowed in complete deference to me.

When the day was done and I could retire to my private bedchambers, I stopped myself from thinking about how I'd dealt with the government. Instead, I found myself wondering if I really know what I was doing. Here I was, callously issuing penalty for fratricide, but wasn't that what I was doing as well?

Taking a life, it blackens your soul. It's a weight you carry with you all of your days. Haven't I got enough burdens already?

When I was growing up suffering under my adoptive family's abuse, Won was raised and loved by his own mother. What a contrast. He was spoiled since a young age. Whatever he wanted, he could get, handed to him on a silver platter, as long as he handed out his money. Me? I couldn't even get what I _needed_ , let alone what I _wanted_. I would never, ever forget how I was starved as a child in Shinju. It was ironic, really, how the tables had turned. I had risen high and he had fallen low. There was honestly nothing he couldn't acquire using his wealth, except redemption and exemption from a death sentence warranted by his _King_ , of course.

Then again, life was full of exceptions. I knew _I_ was one. I'd always thought that I was the least worthy of being King, out of all of my brothers. My eldest brother Mu was our father's favorite son. My 3rd brother had courtiers' support and our formidable mother's backing. My 8th brother was no doubt the brains of the family, an exemplar. My 14th brother was an excellent warrior, just like our father. Now that I looked back, I realized that I'd actually never had any _obvious_ kingly qualities at all. I never thought it would be me. But look at how far I'd come.

If there was one thing I'd learnt when I was fighting to be where I was now, it's that I could only rely on myself. I could not count on others, especially not on _family_. I never really had a loving and warm family, but I doubted any of my brothers ever had it. How chilling and devastating it must've been for Yo when he realized that all that our mother even cared about was her own gain, and we, her sons, were merely her tools, pawns, puppets, to be controlled and manipulated. Eun and Soonduk almost got killed because of his grandfather's ambitions. And while Won was rotting in a cell, his relatives had abandoned him as soon as they could. This had taught me that family we chose was more meaningful that family ties by blood.

On many occasions I had been labelled bloodthirsty and cruel and ruthless, basically every name under the sun, and I hated it. I _was_ capable of showing mercy, but only to those deserving of it. For instance, I spared Won's two wives and their young sons. I was not a wolf dog; I was a human, and I had human sentiments. I did actually feel sorry for my nephews that they had a foolish father who had overestimated himself so drastically. But I wouldn't hurt them or make them pay for crimes that they did not commit. How old were they again? 6? 7? Too young to understand the gravity of traitorous actions, plots and schemes anyway. It was only in their hearts and minds that I could find innocence, something so precious that it had gone extinct in Songak.

I sighed and silently counted how many siblings I used to have and how many of them were left. My eldest brother Mu, dead. My eldest sister Chuja, dead. My 3rd brother Yo, dead. My 8th brother Wook, very ill. My 9th brother Won, dead. My younger sister and wife Yeonhwa, survived. My 10th brother Eun, survived but exiled. My 13th brother Baekah, survived. My 14th brother Jung, survived. I didn't want more of them to die too. I would like nothing more than to see them living happily with their wives and their children, a privilege I would not get to share. I could neither marry the woman that I loved, nor raise our daughter Seol. These were the regrets that would plague me for the rest of my life.

We all had regrets. But before that, we had innocence and we had love, regardless of how our lives had turned out to be. Life used to be so much simpler back then. Let's turn the clock back to 7 years ago, back to when all of my siblings were still around, back to when Hae Soo was still alive, back to when I still wore a mask that hid my ugly scar.

* * *

 **(942 AD, in the late years of the reign of King Taejo of Goryeo.)**

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Chaeryung's POV~

I was hoping today was going to be another uneventful day at Yeondeok Palace, but apparently not. Lady Soo had been out for many hours. Lady Myunghee was getting worried and had dispatched me and several other maids to go look for Lady Soo. We split up and took the hallways near the main gate of the royal court, whereas my colleagues searched the corridors in other areas.

As I kept looking, I came across a familiar face, but it was not Lady Hae Soo. It was my childhood friend Woljin, who also worked at a maid here in Songak, but not with me. I approached her and told her about my predicament regarding Lady Soo.

"Have you tried the Damiwon yet?" Woljin asked.

"The Princes just began bathing. I'm not allowed to search there yet," I replied anxiously.

Before either of us could say another word, we had heard a horse's loud and painful neighs coming from right outside the front gate. Startled, Woljin and I exchanged looks and wondered what was going on, but in less than a minute's time, servants and guards were running about and announcing that the 4th Prince So had returned to Songak.

"I'd keep looking with you, but I've an errand to run at Okrin Palace," said Woljin sympathetically.

Okrin Palace. The residence of the 9th Prince Won. I used to work there, but after a while I was assigned to work in Yeondeok Palace, the household of the 8th Prince Wook, instead. It wasn't that I didn't like working for the 8th Prince and his family here. But if I had the chance to go to the 9th Prince, I would take it. It would make me very happy if I got to see His Highness every day.

I decided to detain my friend no longer, and proceeded to continue with my search for the missing Lady Soo.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Woljin's POV~

I returned to my post at the residence of the An family and reported to Lady Choi, the only wife of Lord An and therefore the matriarch of this household.

"Your Ladyship," I bowed and said politely. "I have done as your lady daughter has instructed. Lady Dongyangwon is very pleased, and wishes to inform you that Her Ladyship will be visiting tomorrow."

Lady Dongyanwon was one of King Taejo's more higher ranking concubines, and was the mother of the 9th Prince Won. She and Lady Choi were close, and the 9th Prince was closest in age to the An family's only daughter, Lady Hyeong, so they grew up as best friends.

Ever since I began working here at Hyunhui Mansion, I had been assigned as Lady Hyeong's personal handmaiden. As usual, I went up the stairs to attend Lady Hyeong in her bedchambers. A new batch of winter clothes was readied and delivered to Her Ladyship, and I was supposed to organize her wardrobe. From time to time, she would come across some old clothes that she wouldn't wear anymore, and she was kind enough to let me have them. It might seem like nothing to her, but it mattered to me, because the fabric was of rather high quality and would give me enough money to send to my family. I'd thank her and smile humbly, forever grateful and honored that I had found my mistress easy to please, compared to handmaidens in other households who had it much tougher. Of course it wasn't easy laboring as a maid, but overall, my life had gotten a lot better ever since I came to Songak to work.

I was from a poor family. My father had a certain kind of sickness that was treatable yet apparently incurable, according to the unreliable physicians in the backward village that I came from. When he died, it was discovered that my elder brother had inherited that disease, and nothing else, as opposed to the lands and titles that aristocrats in their palatial and capacious mansions would inherit in heaps. We had spent all of our savings on keeping him alive. When we eventually went broke, our mother announced that she was about to marry a rich landlord. At first it was good news, as that meant we would be able to afford better quality medication. But as soon as our mother had bore her new husband a son, he began to treat us, his stepchildren, abusively. His cruelty soon became known all over town when he slaughtered a tenant for paying rent late. Since then, nobody was willing to rent his houses or purchase them, so once more our family was hit by a financial crisis.

To deal with this, my stepfather tried to force me to work as a prostitute, and when that didn't work, he even attempted to sell me to a slaver from China. But there came a ray of hope for me, when ushers from the royal court of Goryeo were sent to each town, big or small, to hire a dozen maids to work in the palace. My friend and neighbor Chaeryung and I were both sent into royal service. Since then, I was rid of my stepfather, although not a day went by that I didn't fear for my mother's and brother's safety and health.

Upon settling down at Songak, I got deployed to Hyunhui Mansion where I would work for the prestigious An family. And thus, Chaeryung and I parted ways, but still ran into each other occasionally when running errands for our masters.

I had only just turned 14, a mere year younger than Lady Hyeong, when I started my work at Hyunhui Mansion. But she was not always nice to me. She used to be difficult and unreasonable.

At that time, Her Ladyship was immature and spoiled and bossed me around for fun, mocked and laughed at me and bullied me, and made life difficult for me in as many ways as possible. But eventually I could not tolerate it anymore, and at the cost of not losing just my job but also my head most likely, I snapped and unleashed my frustration. It was also how my background and hardships in life were made known to Lady Hyeong, who at that time had not had the faintest clue that there were a lot of people outside Songak who were leading tough lives in destitute, struggling to survive even. The idea was inconceivable to Her Ladyship, because from the moment she was born, she was privileged in many ways, and whatever she wanted she could get without much trouble. Her world consisted of merely the royal court, situated at Songak, the capital of Goryeo. She became obnoxious, and thought that her family's high status and power would give her the right to be bossy. But my outburst of emotions and complaints of injustice must have been a wake up call for Lady Hyeong. It was from then on that she began to treat me with more respect, and behaved much more maturely toward all of her servants, which paved the way for our friendship to grow. Whatever valuable items of garment or accessory that Her Ladyship didn't feel like keeping anymore as she had an excess of those, she'd give them to me, and I'd use that as a source of income for my family. Lady Hyeong hadn't much changed in terms of how shallow and materialistic she was, but she definitely had a kinder heart and was much more polite.

Dressing herself in glamorous attire was one of Her Ladyship's main concerns in life. As there was practically nothing for her to do all day, she spent her time on clothes and accessories and being pretty and all forms of materialistic enjoyment. Her family could give her inexhaustible wealth anyway as they just kept rising higher and higher in society. She was aware that it meant she was of a high enough station to be married off to a Prince, even, but she knew that it would not be her responsibility to think about it — her parents would be in charge of planning her marriage, just as they had done for her elder brother, Lord Geolha. He was married to a very rich noblewoman and they were expecting their first child together, but not even that could bring him to show any love or affection for her, for rumor had it that his heart belonged to someone else, someone he could never be with.

"Woljin, you're back," said Lady Hyeong spiritedly. "I think I have some good news for you. My brother's wife Lady Nangyung is going to give birth soon. I'll try to arrange for your mother to work as a nursemaid here once my sister in law gives birth. By then we will surely be short staffed, since my brother does not care enough to employ nurses."

"I am thankful, my Lady, for your thoughtfulness, but then who shall take care of my sickly and frail brother then? And who shall look after my baby brother too?" I sighed. "My stepfather spoils his son, but I do worry that if my little brother spends so much time with him he will become sordid and depraved like his father too."

"And that's the last thing you want for him. I understand," she replied. It was ironic to think that I, like Her Ladyship, had an elder brother and a younger brother too, but our destinies and family backgrounds were basically opposites. "But trust me, Woljin, I will find a way to make sure that your mother and your brothers are in better hands. It might take some time, so you must be strong. I'll do for you and them whatever I can."

"I cannot thank you enough, my Lady," I said sadly, lowering my head.

* * *

 **(Assembly Chamber, Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

Today, King Taejo decided he wanted a day off work, so His Majesty did not summon his counselors to an assembly. He still sat in the chamber, seated on his throne, and had his astronomer, Choi Jimong, discuss with him the future of each of his royal children, especially that of the 4th Prince So, who was returning from Shinju today.

Seeing as the King was relatively unoccupied, Princess Yeonhwa had decided this would be a good time for her to visit her royal father and present to him a gift she had made for him. Her brothers the Princes got to saw their father pretty often as sometimes they'd be called in for meetings about matters of the state, but Yeonhwa herself, as the only Princess at Court, seldom got to spend time with His Majesty. Still, father and daughter shared a good relationship. She was able to win his affections and he doted on her.

"I thought it was time for a new pillow, so I made this for Your Majesty," said Princess Yeonhwa happily, the smile on her face even wider as she saw with her own eyes how pleased her royal father was with her present.

"I must be the King of Heaven to sleep on such finery," Taejo commented jocundly. The King did not smile often, and even when he did, there wasn't necessarily any mirth in his smile. But this time, he was smiling with his eyes and it was genuine. More than genuine than his daughter's, in fact. It wasn't that she was feigning all of it — but she knew that it was important to be in royal favor. As a woman in Goryeo, her life and future depended on the men around her. She knew this from a young age and always kept this in mind, and treaded carefully.

Yeonhwa shielded her gaze humbly. "My skills are still lacking."

Taejo closed the lid on the box that contained the pillow, looked at his daughter, and said with a slight sigh, "they say fathers with daughters can easily become fools. I am one of them," he admitted. "You are such a beautiful young lady. Who can I marry you off to?"

"I am sure you will choose well for me, Your Majesty," said Yeonhwa, confidently, because she was confident that if she appeared subservient, it would make the men around her fall into the trap of believing that they were truly in charge, and that way, she could stand a better chance at getting what she wanted, and pull the strings from behind the scenes.

"I want you to live happily like my elder daughter," Taejo replied. "Though it is unfortunate that I don't see her often."

Although Yeonhwa was the only Princess in Songak whereas there were 8 Princes, she was not the only daughter her father had. She had a paternal half-sister, Princess Chuja, who was 8 years her senior. However, they had never met before, as before Yeonhwa was born, Chuja was already sent to Khitan to enter a political marriage. From time to time, Taejo would receive letters from Khitan and it seemed to him that Chuja was happy, and was fortunate enough to be in a loving marriage with the Crown Prince then and the ruler now of Khitan, and had a couple of children. This seemed a perfect life Taejo had envisioned for his daughters: a dynastic match that served Goryeo diplomatically, at the same time a happy one. Although there was no economic need for Taejo to send his younger daughter to Khitan as well, he'd certainly want to put her into a marriage that would be beneficial to Goryeo without compromising her happiness.

Yeonhwa's heart sank and she wore a grave expression on her pretty face, albeit only temporarily. She would not dare openly articulate disagreement with the most powerful man in Goryeo. Instead she opted for lowering her head slightly in subservience once more. "Does that mean you wish for me to live far away from the palace?" She had to know. If she was allowed to stay in the palace, she certainly had great plans for herself and she was going to lay out her own path to greatness. If she were to leave, she then needed to make the according adjustments with haste.

Yet the King was no fool. He could tell from his sweet daughter's tone that sending her away would not be an arrangement to her preference. "Why? Do you not want to?" He asked, but did not indicate that he would drop this option if she did not desire it.

Yeonhwa lifted her head to look at the King, plastering a convincingly saccharine smile on her face once more. "If it is a place you choose for me, I will be happy wherever I go," she said in reassurance. She reminded herself that she must be an obedient daughter.

King Taejo chuckled gently. "Yeonhwa, how is it that you only say things that bring me joy?" He truly wondered. "You are my greatest joy in my old age." She was the apple of his eye and he had genuine affection for her.

"I will wait for you to find a good match for me, Your Majesty." Yeonhwa thanked her father once more at the end of her conversation, and exited the Hall gracefully. Once she was out of Taejo's sight, she allowed the grimness in her heart to resurface. She had to think about who or what she could use as an excuse — or a very valid reason — to get to stay at Court.

As she stepped out of Cheondeok Hall, she crossed paths with a strange-looking man, clad in black. Half of his face was covered by a mask which was in turn covered by his hair. She knew that this must be her 4th brother So.

"You're back, 4th brother," said Yeonhwa softly, but in fascination.

Prince So did not give a response to his sister. He strode into the Assembly Chamber emotionlessly. Yeonhwa, on the other hand, wondered if this might be an opportunity for her.

* * *

 **A/n: Thoughts? Please review! :D**


	2. Marital Affairs

**(Assembly Chamber, Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~So's POV~

"So-ya," said the King. His tone wasn't the usual regal one. There was maybe a tiny tinge of warmth on his voice, perhaps even rue. "How have you been doing in Shinju under the care of the Kang clan?"

'Care'? I only suppressed the urge to snort because I was in His Majesty's presence. What the Kang family had for me was complete apathy, but since the King was determined to turn a blind eye to their abuse of me, I might as well play along.

"Thanks to Your Majesty's grace, I have been doing well," I answered smoothly. I simply needed to tell him what he wanted to hear. It didn't really matter how much of it was true. It was already very nice that he had deigned to meet with me upon my return to his Court. After all, he could've ignored me, as would any father with a son like me.

"That is satisfactory. You are 18 this year, aren't you, So-ya?" He asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then, it is time for you to take a wife and carry out your responsibility as a member of royalty," he announced. "You are of a suitable age to start your own family as some of my other sons already have."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I don't think that should be my priority at the moment," I replied boldly yet with certainty.

"Is that so? Tell me what gives you that idea," he said, more intrigued than displeased.

"In my studies, I've come across an old saying, Your Majesty: if you wish to let your virtue be known to the world, you must first rule your nation. If you wish to rule your nation, you must first rule your family. If you wish to rule your family, you must first rule yourself. If you wish to rule yourself, you must first rule your heart," I explained. "I am a Prince of Goryeo, so I must be virtuous and set a good example for the people of Goryeo. This is my duty as Your Majesty's son, the son of the dragon," I said. Although I'd never been treated as such, as I spoke the words, a sense of pride was stirred up in me and made me feel like I was on top of the world. "To do that, I need to rule my heart and myself first, before I can get married and start my own family."

The King looked at me in fascination. He was just as surprised as he was impressed by what came out of my mouth. "So-ya," he said, in sincere satisfaction, "you have matured a lot. You're almost as wise as the Crown Prince now," he even added humorously.

"There is still a lot I have to learn before I can be worthy of Your Majesty's praise. I am nowhere as erudite as His Highness the Crown Prince," I said humbly.

"Then go ahead and learn what you might, So-ya. I give you my permission to meet with Mu and his circle of consultants. It is my hope that you can make me proud," he replied earnestly. Perhaps for once, I brought him pride, not shame.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I bowed.

* * *

 **(Heunghwa Palace, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

Heunghwa Palace was the residence of the 30-year-old Crown Prince Mu, shared with his several wives and 5 children. Usually he would be present when his royal father, King Taejo, held court and met with his advisors every morning. After that session, he'd go home and continue handling the administrative tasks that he was entrusted with. There were a lot, as he was his father's firstborn, favorite son, as well as the future King. To aid the Crown Prince with his work, the King had arranged for a team of accomplished scholars and councilors to be Mu's consultants. Among this professional team, and within Mu's very own circle of close friends, was An Geolha, the eldest son of Lord An, who was one of the most high-ranking officials at the court of Goryeo, right next to the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. Although Mu and Geolha were 7 years apart, they were very good friends. There was little gap in their maturity, and Geolha was very much able to assist Mu with his work. This was one of the reasons why the An family was very much in royal favor.

Today, the King was taking a break from work and did not call a meeting. This meant that the Crown Prince's consultants did not need to meet with His Highness at Heunghwa Palace either. And yet Geolha, on his own, showed up.

"Your Highness," Geolha bowed. "I understand today will not be a workday. I hope I am not a bother."

The Crown Prince smiled. "Not at all. Today we can drink and enjoy poetry instead of discuss politics then."

Mu knew Geolha to be a man who'd most frequently opt for poetry as a means to convey his thoughts. He'd always been fond of literature, and lucky for him, and literati all over Goryeo, their King Taejo valued the development of the arts too. He was a patron of the arts, and set up a department at the royal court, called the Ministry of Arts and Humanities, for scholars to gather and publish books and poems, for musicians to compose tunes and perform them with pride, and for artists to paint pictures of the prosperity of Goryeo for the world to see.

"Are you sure you'd really rather be here than with your family on a day off?" asked Mu as a maid poured tea for them.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be, Your Highness," Geolha answered plainly.

"What about your wife? How is she?"

Geolha shrugged and pursed his lips.

"Isn't she going to give birth soon? You should be by her side more often."

"Yes, Your Highness," Geolha merely uttered reluctantly.

"Is it a son or a daughter that you're more looking forward to?"

"I don't really have a preference, Your Highness," Geolha replied monotonously, moving his lips as little as possible. All this talk about his wife wasn't even worth his energy, although he wasn't annoyed that Mu was choosing to talk about this. The Prince was merely being a kind and caring person and friend as usual.

Mu sighed. He knew that from his friend's response, not really having a preference just meant that he didn't give a damn about the gender of the baby or the baby at all, not because he was equally excited to have a son or a daughter. "You sound very unwilling. What is it that Lady Nangyung has done to offend you?"

"Nothing, Your Highness," Geolha said nonchalantly. "Her only crime is that she is not the woman I love."

Mu felt bad for Geolha, knowing exactly whom he was talking about. "Geolha, you must let her go."

It was Geolha's turn to sigh. "Even if that were a royal edict, I wouldn't be able to do that."

"It's been a year already since Lady Moongeum married my royal father. Does it still agonize you so?" Mu asked pitifully.

Geolha looked up at Mu in dolor. He dropped his flippant attitude and now sounded more serious. "Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded that she's the King's concubine, and now goes by Lady Dongsanwon."

"But you must forget her and move on. You have a wife now and no matter how much you loved her, she's my father's concubine now and the marriage was necessary to keep her family — the Park family — loyal to His Majesty. Even though neither she nor you seemed to want this marriage, you do realize what purpose it serves, don't you?" Mu, being groomed to be King, thought in ways alike his father, although the Crown Prince had a much gentler nature. Perhaps he would be less inclined to make as many marriages as he could for the sake of securing the fealty of each aristocratic family, but he completely understood why his father the King had to do it.

"I know," said Geolha curtly. "I don't get to see her, or talk to her, or interact with her in whatever way. That feeling of being completely cut off from the person you love the most — that is something Your Highness does not have the misfortune of having to feel and understand."

"All of us have our misfortunes and our loved ones. All the more reason to stay strong," said Mu slightly lamentingly. "I have no doubt you remain frustrated, but that is no reason to take it out on your wife or anyone who is not responsible for your sorrows."

"I suppose then the only way I will be allowed to channel my emotions is into poetry," said Geolha, staring at the blank parchment in front of him. Picking up his writing brush and dipping it into the inkstone, he penned a most tear-jerking yet beautiful poem, with his lady love in mind. And at the end he signed it with his pen name, Yoon Tae, to conceal his identity. Later this afternoon, he'd stop by the Ministry of Arts and Humanities, and smuggle this into the stack of poems that was ready to be published. And then they would be circulated around Court to establish, cultivate and spread a scholarly culture. Surely this would mean that his poem could get into the hands of his beloved Park Moongeum — oops, Lady Dongsanwon that was — and then she would continue to feel the depth of his love for her. And her unfailing reciprocation would be made known to him somehow.

Geolha and his Moongeum were not too young to know that it was treason when a King's concubine committed adultery, and it was punishable by death, but _only_ if they got caught. And if they had to die, then die they would. But first, they'd live. And they'd love.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

I ranted throughout my lunch with my sister in law, Lady Nangyung. I was so angry at my own brother that even though my favorite dish was served today, I could not taste anything.

"Great. He's done it again. Insisting on going to 'work' even though not even the _King_ 's Majesty was at work today. That's low of him. There's no length he wouldn't go to just to humiliate you. It's not the first time he's done this. I'm so disappointed in him and he knows it upsets you; why would he continue to abandon you like that?! How could he?! Does he not care that it's his child that you're carrying? Has it ever _occurred_ to him that he ought to spend more time taking care of you? Maybe that it's _his_ responsibility too to look after you rather than just leave it all to your attendants? Could he just for once step up as a man?! Ugh."

"Lord Geolha is not to blame," said Nangyung sadly yet calmly. It was obvious to me that she'd already come to terms with the fact that she could never have her husband's heart, which made me even angrier. "His Lordship does not love me, and has no desire to be with me at all. It was our parents who arranged for us to marry. We were merely fulfilling our responsibility to our families, to be joined in matrimony and carry on the bloodline. I think we're doing that well," she patted her swollen belly gently.

I groaned. "See? You've been married to my idiot of a brother for almost a year now and yet you still refer to him as ' _Lord_ Geolha'."

"It's polite," Nangyung insisted.

"It's _distant_ ," I emphasized. "My parents would never address each other like that. It ought to be more...familiar, intimate...between couples."

"It's ever so rare that couples in arranged marriages can learn to love each other, and with a passion," Nangyung said quietly. "Your lord father and lady mother are the envy of many people."

And yet, how come my parents had no qualms about putting their son in a marriage that was convenient and beneficial, yes, but with somebody that he could not love? It was not unbeknownst to me that he was hung up on this other noblewoman, Park Moongeum, who was now the King's newest addition to his harem, and the eldest daughter of the Vice-Chancellor, Minister Park Younggyu. It really looked, to me, as if happiness in marriage was entirely a matter of chance. The King had 29 women altogether, and that was probably a record, but was he truly happy in these marriages? Was he in love?

"Still, I sure hope my parents will arrange for me to wed somebody that could love me, and I could love in return," I said solemnly.

"You seem very close to the 9th Prince Won," Nangyung replied, as if implicitly questioning if I had ever considered requesting a match between myself and Prince Won.

"Yes, we're best friends, although at times I can't stand him at all. His Highness can be so annoying sometimes! Although I'm kind of used to it. We grew up around each other, after all, because our mothers were close."

"Your family is on a high enough station to obtain the King's blessing and approval of a marriage between you and one of the Princes," she pointed out. "Wouldn't that mean a good marriage for you? Is that not a very socially desirable match?"

"Well…" I bit my lip in hesitation. "I suppose it does sound very attractive to be married to a Prince...but I'm not sure. I don't really know the personalities of the other princes that well, apart from the 9th Prince Won and the 13th Prince Baekah, since I spend more time with their Highnesses."

Speaking of Prince Baekah, I was actually set to spend this afternoon with him. He absolutely loved drawing. From painting to sketching to doodling, he just had a passion for it and I had to admit he was exceedingly talented at it. I was interested in it too but I was nowhere as good as he was at it. I could only learn from him.

At Nangyung's insistence that she wouldn't feel too lonely without anyone to accompany her for the rest of the afternoon, I left home and went to Yeondeok Palace, which was the home of the 8th Prince Wook and his wife, Lady Myunghee. Lady Myunghee and Prince Baekah had been good friends for a while now and they shared the same interests in literature and music and visual arts. This was why they did spend time together regularly and I was honored that they were inviting me to join them. I thought I could learn a lot from them and make my life more interesting too.

* * *

 **A/n: Yes, there'll be more Baekah in the next chapter! But** **don't let Geolha's pen name, Yoon Tae, escape your memory. Please review! :P**


	3. Enthusiasts

**(Ministry of Arts and Humanities, Songak)**

~So's POV~

Right after His Majesty's audience with me in the stately Cheondeok Hall, I approached the Crown Prince. To my relief, my eldest brother Mu's greeted me with a friendly attitude, which I felt he might have done even if our father hadn't specifically given his approval, as he didn't seem forced, or disgusted by me. He even genuinely wanted to know how my life had been over the past years that I hadn't been at Court for, and he also told me what life in Songak had been like, in the hopes that I would be better able to adapt to it. Since I'd never be going back to Shinju, whoever here wanted me gone better get used to it.

If I were to consolidate my position at the royal court, I needed to build my connections with the courtiers here, in addition to reconnecting with my siblings. I had Jimong on my side, as well as General Park Sukyung who'd be returning to Songak in perhaps a couple of months' time, but that might not be enough.

It also pleased the Crown Prince to introduce me to one of his counselors, Lord Geolha of the An clan, a nobleman perhaps 4 or 5 years my senior.

"He's not like other politicians," Mu said to me proudly. "Lord Geolha is a patron of the newly set up Ministry of Arts and Humanities. Now that the nation is relatively more stable than it was before, the King has had the time to consider educating our people in the arts and make our culture more widely known. I'll have Lord Geolha give you a tour of the Ministry headquarters. 4th brother, you'll join me and my family for dinner this evening, won't you?"

I was originally prepared to dine alone because my face and generally my presence had the special effect of making people in the vicinity lose their appetite. But since the Crown Prince wanted to invite me, I agreed.

He then took his leave of us and I followed Lord Geolha around. Really, so much had changed since I last came back. I felt like a tourist visiting a foreign court. I needed to find a sense of belonging here. Perhaps one way to do that was to read up on what intellectual ideas this Ministry was seeking to advocate.

"I'd like to stay for a read," I said to Lord Geolha as we walked past rows and rows of bookshelves. "Do recommend a few books that'd enlighten me as to what's in the heads of the people who live in Songak."

Calmly and willingly, His Lordship did as I asked. Instead of just handing a few books to me perfunctorily, he took the time to explain to me what each book was about and what insights I might gain from it. Even given his passion for reading and writing, he didn't need to patiently explain anything to me, but he did, unlike so many others who'd try to kick me out and get rid of me the first chance they got.

"If there's anything I can help with, just let me know, Your Highness," he offered.

I accepted the books and queried almost challengingly, "why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Perhaps Your Highness considers me a fool for not fleeing in fear in your presence," he replied stoically.

"Not a fool," I uttered curiously. "Rather, an exception, much like what I am."

"Is Your Highness really that different from the rest of us?" He questioned. "We all hide behind masks, attempting to ensconce a part of us that we're ashamed of. It's just that Your Highness' mask is tangible and visible. Underneath that, though, we're all humans, and at our core, we just want to be loved."

"At our core, we just want to live," I stated. "It's a luxury to be loved; I ask only for something basic, something instinctual, something simple." Though I did agree with a big part of what he'd said. Actually, it was more like him voicing my thoughts without having to ask me for them in the first place. No wonder he got selected as the future King's advisor.

"I beg to differ, Your Highness," he said, with a certain kind of melancholy. "Try living without the person you love the most, Prince So. It means nothing to live if you are not loved."

Spoken as if he'd been hurt before; that was fascinating. Although I was not interested in thinking about my love life, his words were inspiring.

The King was right. I would be able to learn a lot from the Crown Prince and his consultants.

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

As usual, I brought Woljin with me everywhere I went, and it wasn't just because she was my handmaiden. It was because I saw her as a close friend of mine, a confidant. I was aware of her friendship with Chaeryung, a maid that worked for the 8th Prince Wook and and his wife Lady Myunghee, so I thought that bringing Woljin to Yeondeok Palace so she could see her friend would make her very happy. I could recognize this maid Chaeryung because she used to work in Prince Won's residence for a brief while before she was transferred to Prince Wook's.

When Woljin and I got there, the 13th Prince Baekah had already arrived. However, there seemed to be some bad news. Prince Wook himself was not at home, but Myunghee sent Chaeryung to inform me and Baekah of what was going on.

"My Prince, my Lady," said Chaeryung who bowed anxiously. "Lady Myunghee would like me to inform Your Highness and Your Ladyship with apologies that Her Ladyship is indisposed at the moment and cannot personally receive and welcome you."

"Is Her Ladyship sick? She has not fallen ill, has she?" Baekah inquired immediately. The expression on his face changed so quickly, from one of mere perplexity to one that exhibited so much concern and worry.

"No, Your Highness. It is not Lady Myunghee who is feeling unwell. It is her cousin, Lady Soo, who is unconscious. Lady Myunghee is very worried," Chaeryung reported.

"May we...go see her?" I enquired.

Chaeryung looked unsure and wasn't able to respond, but then Myunghee herself had showed up, only to apologetically let us know that she could not entertain us today. She was so very distraught; I wondered what calamity could possibly have befallen her cousin Soo.

"Everything's going to be alright. Soo will get better," said Baekah gently. I glanced at him briefly, but it was enough for me to recognize the reassurance he was trying to give to Myunghee. The warmth in his eyes, the tenderness in his tone, and his compelling need to console her...was that what any brother in law would show to a sister in law?

In response, a weak yet thankful smile had momentarily grown on Myunghee's face. At that reaction, Baekah's face lit up. Baekah was 15 like me, youthful and full of energy and life, so when compared to Myunghee who'd always had frail health, it did seem as if she was much older than us when it was only by several years. Still, I wondered if His Highness was as aware as I was of how much his feelings were showing. Was he like this too if and when his very own elder _brother_ , the 8th Prince Wook, Lady Myunghee's _husband_ , was around?

"Hyeong-ah, I know I promised last time that I'd let you sketch a portrait of me…" said Myunghee sorrily.

"It's alright," I smiled. "The 13th Prince and I can keep each other entertained."

"Perhaps we'll come to see you again tomorrow. Don't overwork yourself looking after your little cousin. Your own health is important too. Don't worry yourself sick...it will make me even more worried that way," said Prince Baekah. Caring, attentive, and sensitive...sometimes I could really forget that we were actually the same age when he was so much more mature than I was.

* * *

 **(Seongmok Palace, Songak)**

Prince Baekah and I left Yeondeok Palace and at his suggestion headed to his residence, Seongmok Palace, instead, where I thought we could play some music. However it seemed His Highness had something else in mind.

"I have some books here that I think you might like to read. Here, you can borrow these," he pointed at the second row of his bookshelf. He had the biggest book collection of every genre you could possibly think of; it was even dizzying to look at and probably would take me a few lifetimes to finish reading every single one of these books here, and another few lifetimes to actually understand and grasp the meaning and depth of what each book had to offer, whereas Baekah seemed to just get it right away.

"I know what you're thinking," he said with a light laugh. "It actually doesn't take that long. Once you start, you won't be able to stop until you finish. I wasn't willing to put down my books even when I was having meals."

I smiled wryly. "Can it possibly be that interesting, Your Highness?"

He gawked at me. "How can it _not_ be that interesting? Hyeong, books are fountains of knowledge and also help the heart find the way to use that knowledge with wisdom. Without knowledge and without wisdom, what are we?"

I giggled lightheartedly. "I don't know; I really thought that all that matters is that the words used in the books are pretty and sound pleasant."

"You're just scratching the surface. What about the meaning behind the words?"

"Well, I understand what each word means, and the sentences make sense to me, so I never really thought there was much else to ponder upon. The books Your Highness lent to me last week…I've only read a few pages…" I said sheepishly.

"That's a waste, don't you think? There's actually so much more to it, and when you look at it from different angles...it's really illuminating, and there's really so much these books can teach us. That's why I love reading so much."

"Are you sure there's always a deeper layer of meaning that an author is trying to convey?" I asked hesitantly. "Many poems that you've made me read have talked about flowers and trees, beautiful landscapes, the sun and the moon and the stars. They're beautiful and that's why people write about them. Why would you think they're trying to say something else with describing the view?"

He chuckled. "Symbolism, Hyeong. The flowers and trees signify life, a cycle of growth and eventual decay. When people write about the stars and the moon, it's when they miss someone and they're hoping their loved ones are looking up at the same night sky and thinking of them too. I could spend hours giving you more examples of how writers project their emotions and thoughts onto their surroundings. But here, let me show you this new poem. I think you can try to understand what it's alluding to," he said, and showed me last month's volume of poems and proses penned by a congregation of scholars and published by the Ministry of Arts and Humanities. "This one is among my personal favorites," he added, but did not explain why. Perhaps if I could read it as easily as I could read faces, something I reckoned I was better at, I'd be able to figure out why he liked this poem so much.

Fueled by momentary curiosity, I began to study the poem and really put effort into thinking hard. It felt so weird and foreign to be _so_ analytical about reading literature, but apparently according to Baekah this was what literature was supposed to be about. In fact, it wasn't only literature but across the arts. Even with music and dance and more, there was a message that required deeper thought and went beyond the surface. So I tried, and, well, I found that although it seemed to just be another pretty, fancy poem talking about flowers, for the first time it really felt to me as if there was something below the surface just desperate to reach out to me and get through to me. Gradually I opened my heart and mind to what this poem was trying to tell me, and in my mind an image was formed according to the vivid — so vivid! — descriptions of a young boy trying to reach for the prettiest flower on the tree, yet there was no way he could be tall enough, no matter how much he'd outstretched his arms and stood on his tippy toes, and so all he could do was just admire the flower from afar. When a much taller man came along, however, he could effortlessly pluck the flower, and keep it in his possession, which saddened the little boy.

Suddenly, I really could pick up an underlying message from this. _Symbolism_ , Baekah had just said. The flower represented a beautiful girl, the little boy represented her admirer or lover, whilst the tall man was a symbol of an authoritative figure or someone who had the upper hand. And it all made sense to me simply because of how relevant it must be to Baekah. And now it's so clear to me why this poem would be one of his favorites as it was really speaking his mind. Baekah himself was the young boy in the poem. The flower was Lady Myunghee whom he had some feelings for. His 8th brother, Prince Wook, had to be the tall man, as His Highness descended from a wealthier descent than Baekah did, and therefore much more easily and naturally got to marry Myunghee, who was from the big and influential Hae family. Prince Wook was the pride of his queen mother's Hwangbo family, whereas Baekah's mother was a descendant of the Silla royal family, a fallen dynasty. Yes, it was depressing and unfair that they might all be Princes but they were never and would never be on the same level. This place, Songak, always treated people like they were property.

"Now, do you see what I mean about how powerful literature can be?" asked Baekah quietly and somberly as I had my epiphany and it must have shown on my face.

I nodded silently and agreed. I bet that the poet himself must be in a similar situation. Otherwise, there was no way anybody in the world could write such a compelling piece that gripped my heart and emotions.

Only after a solemn pause did I pipe up once more. "You must have to be really intelligent to be able to write something with multiple meanings, especially when you continue to use beautiful language," I said. "Can you show me more pieces like this?" I requested. I felt a sense of wonderment surround me — Baekah's passion for literature had sparked something in me and made me yearn for more.

"Certainly. This poet, called Yoon Tae, has penned quite a number of love poems. If the one I showed you just now resonated with you, maybe you could have a look at these and see what you could decipher of them," Baekah replied, handing a stack of books to me. I signaled for Woljin to come forward and give me a hand with it, but she was unresponsive at first, and only when I called her name did she seem to snap out of her reverie. I found that a little strange as she was usually quite quick to respond. But I thanked the 13th Prince and, seeing as it was going to be evening soon, went home.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

When Woljin and I were home, we found that we had company: the 14th Prince Jung. He was quite good friends with my younger brother, Geolsang, and as I instructed Woljin to place the pile of books in the study, I found Prince Jung and Geolsang wrestling in the backyard. Geolsang looked up to His Highness a lot and aspired to be a great warrior, just like the Prince was, albeit too young to have any military experience. While my elder brother Geolha was interested in the literary arts, Geolsang had no talent for that (like me) and preferred martial arts, so he and Prince Jung practiced a lot.

"Hyeong-ah! You're back!" said Geolsang giddily and energetically. "Prince Jung was just showing me this new trick he learned today!"

Jovially I approached them. "I'm glad to see that. Your Highness, it's so kind of you to teach my brother so many things. I'm sure Your Highness will make a very fine warrior someday."

Jung's face lit up instantly. "That's true! I'm going to be master the martial arts and you're going to be so proud of me, Hyeong-ah."

"What about me? Don't you think I'm going to make a fine warrior someday too, sister?" Geolsang asked playfully, fishing for praise.

"Eh, you still have so much to learn," both Jung and I said at the same time, and giggled.

Geolsang scratched the back of his head and laughed. "What I lack in talent, I'm sure, I'll make up for with daily practice. I'll make us all proud."

"And _I'll_ be good with all sorts of swords and weapons and then I can protect you, Hyeong," Jung chimed in confidently, displaying his charismatic smile.

I chuckled. "What does Your Highness think I need protection against?"

Jung hesitated. "Um...I don't know. Uh...just...wouldn't it be nice to have someone look out for you?"

I smiled. "I'm in no position to ask protection of a Prince. I think I will count on Geolsang to protect me instead," I said to my brother, patting him in encouragement in spite of how sweaty he was. "I guess that gives you no excuse to not fight well."

"It's not a request you're making. I'm offering it to you. You have my protection, Hyeong," said Jung resolutely. The spark of determination in his eyes was interesting.

"Don't listen to him, sister. You don't know how many other girls he could be saying this to," Geolsang joked and chortled, promptly scurrying to the other side of the courtyard.

"Hey, that's not true!" Jung gawked at Geolsang and ran after him. "Don't run! I'll catch you! Come back here!"

I guffawed. It made me so happy to see that my little brother and the 14th Prince were such good friends. Geolsang for sure loved sports and fighting from a very young age, although he was never very good at it. He lost frequently to Jung and even to a very athletic girl who was playmates with them. Her name was Soonduk and she was the daughter of General Park Sukyung. I heard from Father that the General would be returning to Court from where he was stationed, and by then surely Geolsang and Soonduk would get into a wrestling match again. I sured hoped his skills would have improved enough for him to win at least one match.

I left the courtyard and went indoors, walking up the stairs to the study where Woljin was waiting. I was amazed by the poem Baekah had introduced me to today. The poet, Yoon Tae, sure seemed to have a way with words. It was as if he was a master of words as he employed and utilized each of them with such skill and technique. I never thought that anyone could get me interested in literature — I'd watched my other brother Geolha devote all of his time to it but all along I just never could understand what was so captivating about it, and reckoned it boring and pointless. But now, it seemed my mind just might be swayed.

* * *

 **A/n: Nobody is aware that Geolha's pen-name is Yoon Tae, not even his own sister. Only his love and lover, Park Moongeum aka Lady Dongsanwon.**

 **P.S. Introducing more Princes in the next chapter...and something is going to happen to Nangyung. Stay tuned, and please review!**


	4. Moments

**A/n: Thank you so much everyone for the wonderful reviews! It means so much to me! This chapter is going to feature an epic meeting between Hyeong and one seriously underrated Prince. Enjoy! :DD**

* * *

 **(Okrin Palace, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

A week had passed and I had still spent every morning with Lady Kang and Lady Kim at Prince Won's residence. As usual I didn't see Won around very often, but today was apparently special. He didn't go out this morning.

"What's the occasion?" I asked curiously. "You finally decided that you're better off with than without me so you're going to be wherever I'm at?"

"Oh, you wish, Hyeong. You wish," he laughed.

"Aw! Why not?" I feigned hurt. "I'm so offended. How could you not think that I'm the best thing to ever happen to you?"

He shrugged and chuckled. "I should be saying that to you, not the other way round."

"Oh, really?" I put my hands on my hips, giggling. "I treat you so well, though. I've made some shoes for your sons, bought some pretty headgear for your wives and even your lady mother. Not to mention the gloves I've knitted for you. What, you think I do that with everybody? You better cherish me while you've still got me. When I'm married, I'll be doing that for only my husband."

"Yes, thank you for all of those. My lady mother was very pleased, and my wives adore you, as usual. But it only makes them even more intolerable because they won't stop talking about you and how much they love you."

"Ah, you should have known that I'd get more love from them than you ever could," I said smugly, leaning back on the chair. "But would you please tell me why you're not going anywhere today?"

"No, I won't tell you."

"Fine, I'll just go ask your chamberlain," I pouted, but I wasn't actually going to go anywhere. He'd tell me sooner or later. Or I could just sit around and find out for myself.

"My servants are busy with the preparations; don't harass them," he said hastily. "Today, all of my siblings would be coming over."

"You have visitors! How nice is that. No wonder your wives aren't around to chat with us. They must be in their chambers getting ready to receive Their Highnesses," I remarked. "Why are they coming over though? Why in the world would they want to spend time with you?"

"Ah, you're right about that. They don't actually want to spend time with me. They don't even care about me," he rolled his eyes jokingly. "They're just here to see my sons, their nephews."

"And they haven't seen Beom and Bon before?"

"Only once," he answered.

"I see," I replied. "Technically I'm not invited to your lunch gathering, so I better leave. I know you're going to miss me but don't worry; I'll be back tomorrow."

"No one's going to miss you, Hyeong. Just go and never come back," he chortled.

"Oh, no way you're getting rid of me so soon," I teased, although I got up and headed for the door.

"Please just go. You're just going to embarrass me and make a fool out of me," he pretended to look worried, chewing his lip in anxiety whilst shooing me away.

"Why would I do that? I think you're already doing an excellent job at that on your own. You don't need my help with it," I smirked, stepping out of the antechamber as I was pretty sure Their Highnesses were going to be here any minute now — hold on. I thought I heard a familiar voice and I reckoned it belonged to the 14th Prince Jung. I looked around did indeed find His Highness approaching Won's residence. He was accompanied by who I presumed to be one of his brothers. Both of them were wearing headbands that matched their usual princely attires.

"I'm sure I'm the best uncle that little Beom and little Bon will _ever_ have," said Jung pompously.

"Impossible. I know what they like and I'm willing to play with them. They'll favor me over you for sure," countered the other Prince quickly.

"Not a chance. All you do is play anyway. You'll never be able to teach them martial arts but I can," Jung guffawed proudly.

The other Prince growled and made a face at Jung. "All you do is show off. You haven't an ounce of humility in you."

I giggled, and greeted Their Highnesses politely as they approached.

"Oh, Hyeong, you're here too?" Jung grinned from ear to ear once he saw me.

"Just about to leave, Your Highness. It seems the 9th Prince is not eager for me to stay," I pouted pitifully. "Besides, it's your family gathering. I should probably go back to my own," I bowed once more, about to take my leave.

"Oh — I...I won't mind if you join us," Jung said quickly. It was as if he even spluttered a little as he spoke. "R-right, 10th brother?" He asked hesitantly, eyeing and nudging the other Prince expectantly. Jung's 10th brother...this must be the 10th Prince Eun then, whose living daylights were scared out of him when he encountered the mysterious girl who randomly and suddenly popped up at the bathhouse last week.

"I...I...well, if she's good fun, I won't object to it," said Prince Eun. Although I'd never met His Highness before, on all accounts and from what I'd heard, he had a playful and cheerful personality.

"What are you two doing here? Come on in," Won stepped outside and had his servants opened the doors wide. "Where're the others?" Won asked. I was apparently invisible to him.

Speaking of, five figures of dignified demeanor showed up. One of them was obviously Princess Yeonhwa. There was no other woman more elegant or more genteel than Her Highness. To her right were several Princes that I could recognize: her own brother the 8th Prince Wook and the husband of Lady Myunghee, the Crown Prince Mu with whom my brother Geolha was best friends, as well as the 13th Prince Baekah. My gaze had landed upon the one Prince in particular that I had never met before. I couldn't help but stare at him not because he was a stranger to me but because even though he was standing next to the Crown Prince, it felt to me as if _he_ had much more regal an aura to him than the heir to the throne did. The way he carried himself, his gait, and the look in his eyes — an authoritative and assertive nature was written all over his face. Prince Mu had really paled in comparison. In fact everybody else and everything else had faded. His tall, imposing figure, the perfect shape of his nose, and his chiseled jawline was all that I could focus on. He had me enthralled.

Surely by now Prince Eun and even Jung had gone inside to be received by Won and his wives. Princess Yeonhwa and the other Princes followed suit as I could vaguely hear the shuffling of chairs. And yet this particular Prince, who held my undivided attention, stopped at the small steps of the stairs, and turned to me.

Although he was already a couple of steps below where I was standing, he still seemed to tower over me. He stared back at me for a good moment. At first it felt as if he was studying me, investigating me. He just had this singular ability to look into my eyes and make me feel as though he was staring directly into my soul, sizing me up, preparing to _do_ something to me, although I could only guess at _what_ exactly. I might have been intimidated by him because of how penetrative his stare was, but how could someone so good-looking possibly incite fear in me? He was arousing something in me, alright, but it was not fear.

Before I knew it, his incisive, piercing eye contact was getting too much. I had to break the eye contact by lowering my head a little and shield my gaze. He was like the sun — I had stared at him directly for too long and now I was getting burned. My cheeks definitely agreed.

"Your Highness," I purred demurely, glancing at the floor for one moment before looking back up again. I had come to realize my sight was glued to him and I just could not help myself. It seemed I have no control over my body either when a smile was drawn across my face. I felt like an idiot, smiling because of nothing in particular. I didn't know what I was smiling at. All I knew was that I wanted to look my best for him. He wasn't really smiling, but it seemed his gaze had softened now.

"You have a pretty smile," he commented, sounding amused. Although his expression had not changed much, and he was just wearing a smirk on his face as if nothing could ever surprise him, his tone was not at all mocking and felt in fact genuine.

I couldn't even find the words to say. He tore his gaze away from me and, brushing past me, joined his siblings inside. The servants had closed the doors and it was only then that I had snapped to attention.

On the way home, I couldn't stop thinking about this Prince. He must be the 3rd Prince Yo, as I had met all of the other Princes at court already. How handsome His Highness was! Just thinking about him had me blushing.

"My Lady? Are you alright? Your cheeks are so red," Woljin asked gently.

"I'm...I'm fine, Woljin," I reassured her, and smiled to myself.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

When I got home, an unsettling feeling had crept into my stomach. Something was a little off. There were fewer servants than usual around the courtyard. The atmosphere gave me a very bad hunch.

One of the maids had spotted me and sprinted to me urgently. "My Lady! My Lady!"

"What's wrong?" I inquired, not sure if I really wanted to know.

"Lady Nangyung has gone into labor," she revealed breathlessly. My heart sank when I felt as if her sentence was unfinished and there was a 'but…' to follow. I didn't tell her to go on as I could hear the ear-splitting screams from upstairs already, sending chills down the back of my spine.

I gulped and drew a heavy breath. "Bring me to her," I instructed. On the way, I asked again, "where's the rest of my family?"

"Lord An is at work this morning. Lady Choi is presently with Lady Nangyung. Lord Geolsang is right outside the room…"

"And Geolha?!" I enquired impatiently. "Where is he when you need him the most?"

"Lord Geolha...Lord Geolha is not at home…" the maid answered almost shamefully but she should not be the one plagued by shame.

"Geolsang," I marched up the stairs hurriedly and grasped my younger brother by his forearms. "Where's our brother?"

Nangyung's screams of pain were getting louder and louder as I got closer to her location. Geolsang looked just as worried as I was. "He's gone out, Hyeong. I don't know where Geolha is. Nobody knows."

"Where could he possibly be?!" I demanded, not caring to look ladylike as I stomped my foot in frustration.

"Our brother...he spends a lot of time with the Crown Prince, doesn't he?" Geolsang suggested, looking more and more anxious as another series of cries of pain was elicited from Nangyung.

Utterly disappointed, I huffed and turned to my handmaiden. "Woljin, hurry, go to Heunghwa Palace and fetch Geolha. And please let him be there."

"No, I'll go," Geolsang volunteered, and skimmed the stairs down.

The cries from inside the room would not stop, and they were not a baby's cries. Although the midwives were urging Nangyung to push with all her might, only their words were encouraging yet their tones were laden with worry and panic. I couldn't let Nangyung go through this all on her own. She was already neglected by Geolha all the time and I really thought it could make her feel slightly less scared if I were to accompany her and hold her hand. I pushed the doors open and dashed to her bedside. She was an utter mess, and there was _so much blood_ that my eyes popped wide and my jaw dropped at the sight. But I quickly regained my composure; I needed to be strong and support my sister in law. I held her hand tight and chewed on my lip. I shot a glance at my mother who was on the other side of the bed, and she looked very somber, as if expecting the worst already. This made me even more scared and I just shivered at the thought that Nangyung might not survive this. She could die. We could lose her. _No_. I refused to let that happen. I clenched my jaw and gripped her hand even more tightly, but it was difficult as there was so much sweat on her palms and mine that it was slippery.

I watched helplessly for what felt like a hundred days as Nangyung's screams became raw and hoarse, no longer drowning out the midwives' pleas for her to push hard. Her face was so pale because she was losing so much blood. It really hit me that she might not make it.

"You must stay strong," my mother begged. "Don't give up. Keep trying. You can do this!"

Temporarily, her words seemed to have an effect on Nangyung. Out of nowhere she found the energy to push, and the midwives, in spite of having seen childbirth dozens of times, gasped as if they had just witnessed a miracle. There was hope after all! The tears, originally of fright and frustration, that were welling in my eyes now ran down my face but they were tears of transient joy and ephemeral relief. And there she did it again! She managed to push, and after a few attempts, she did it! She gave birth! She was stronger than anyone could have ever thought and I was immensely proud of her. My mother and I exchanged smiles and we turned to Nangyung, but our smiles died when Nangyung was struggling to keep her eyes open, and was only able to let out a whimper of resignation.

"Nangyung?" My voice was shaking. "Nangyung, stay with us. You did it. You did so well. There'll be no more pain. Do you want to look at your beautiful —"

I turned to the midwives and suddenly it was like the temperature of the room had plummeted even though we were all sweating heavily. It had only just occurred to me that we couldn't hear a baby's cries fill the room.

"What's happening?" I whispered, looking at the midwives in despair.

"It's...it's a...a stillborn, my Ladies," one of the midwives piped up.

"W-what?" My stomach gave an involuntary lurch in utter shock. I dropped what I was holding, which happened to be Nangyung's hand. I quickly turned back to Nangyung and tried to pick up her hand again, but it was completely limp. I tried to shake her and talk to her, but she was unresponsive. "Nangyung? Nangyung?! Please, please wake up. Oh my goodness, please, what's happening, somebody help please, please she can't be gone!" I exclaimed hysterically.

As tears streamed down my face like two rivers running in parallel, I panted. And when the doors burst open finally, through my blurry vision I saw two male figures. Geolsang was running toward us, whereas Geolha sure took his time. In fact, he didn't even move. He just stood at the door expressionlessly and motionlessly, letting it sink in that he'd just lost both his wife and his child.

* * *

 **A/n: You know that song that plays whenever a character dies in MLSHR? Yeah, better cue that. :(**

 **P.S. Hyeong and the 3rd Prince Yo. Thoughts? Please review! :DD**


	5. Geolha

**A/n: Thank you all you wonderful people for reading and reviewing! Sending you lots of hugs and kisses. :D**

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

My eyes hurt so much the next morning. They were swollen and puffy and bloodshot. I just couldn't do anything today, or tomorrow, or the day after that. I didn't even want to get out of bed. It was all too much, and curling up in fetal position on my bed clutching my warm blanket seemed to take away a little bit of the pain and emotional wreck that I'd been through yesterday.

Woljin entered my chambers quietly, trying to not wake me, but I thought she knew that I was awake already. There was no way I could fall back asleep unless I had cried myself to sleep like I did last night. So I got out of bed and Woljin helped me get dressed and prepared for a day that would be very tough to get through.

With heavy, plodding steps, I sank down the stairs to the dining hall to have my breakfast. I sent Woljin to Okrin Palace to let Lady Kang and Lady Kim know that I likely wouldn't be visiting these few days, in case they were expecting me or worried.

Mostly, I felt numb. But that was only until I realized that out of all people, my unfeeling, irresponsible brother _Geolha_ was the one who didn't feel or show a single tinge of grief or mournfulness. To be honest I felt ashamed to call him my brother. I couldn't believe he, or anyone actually, would have it in him to not care at all when his wife and child were dead.

"How could you be so heartless?" I croaked, glaring at him spitefully. And yet there he was, finishing his breakfast laxly and getting ready to leave for work as if nothing had happened.

"Good morning to you too, sister," he stuffed the rest of his breakfast into his mouth and evidently was not eager to talk to me. But he was stuck with me. He was the only one at the dining table. My parents and Geolsang were not up yet.

"Your attitude is reprehensible." I wanted to yell at him, but I was losing my voice. I couldn't even bear to talk to him throughout the whole of yesterday. I shut everyone out and had I not been so occupied with crying and mourning Nangyung, I would have snapped and barked at Woljin too.

"It's none of your business, Hyeong," he said dismissively and nonchalantly, adopting the same tone that he had always used with Nangyung if he was ever bothered to speak to her. He made me realize and learn it the hard way that the opposite of love was not hate but, rather, apathy. He had all the love for Lady Dongsanwon and a lack of any concern for Nangyung. Furiously, I couldn't stand it anymore and slammed my hand on the wooden table, causing the tray and the plates to shift toward the other end of the table.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" I shouted. "I won't tolerate your contemptible behavior. Nangyung deserved so much better." I had to stand up to Geolha for this was something that I knew Nangyung dared not do. "She'd always give excuses for you, like you ought to be pitied for being in a marriage that you didn't ask for. She's scared of losing you even though the sad truth is that she never had you. But I'm not her and I'm not afraid of you. I'm not going to let up on you and I don't care that you claim to be in love with someone else. Lady Dongsanwon could never be yours anyway; why are you still so obsessed with her?!"

Geolha stood up abruptly and violently, almost causing the table to tip over. I barely had the energy to flinch. I was only able to elicit such reaction from him because I was mentioning his lady love. His stupid love and stupid hopes. I was pretty sure Lady Dongsanwon was the only person in the world that he cared about. There was no way anybody else could make him this furious. He glowered at me irefully but I didn't let him interrupt.

"Why couldn't you just be happy with what you have?!" I demanded. "What you _had_ , actually. I correct myself. Nangyung never did anything wrong. Ever since she married you, every single thing that she did was in an attempt to please you, because she was a dutiful wife and she tried her best to make you happy. But what did _you_ give her in return?! You threw her aside and neglected her and never went beyond the formalities, even when in public. You treated her so poorly and even when she was carrying your child you still didn't concern yourself with her health and welfare! It was so obvious to everyone that you didn't care about her, at all, and it's shameful! We all know that love is not what most marriages are based on. So why can't you just accept it and deal with it?! For goodness' sake, Geolha, you're 22, but all you do is hang around the Crown Prince and read stupid poems. You can't even do a decent job at taking care of your wife. You're good for nothing and I hate you. Do you even have any idea how frantically we were looking for you yesterday?"

"That's enough!" He seethed at me. I didn't flinch when he closed in on me and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me. I narrowed my eyes at him and remained irate. "Just don't ever talk to me about Nangyung or Moongeum. Neither of them will ever be mine again. I don't want to entertain your complaints; I haven't got the time for that. So excuse me, Hyeong, because I'm going to go hang around the Crown Prince and read some stupid poems now. I'd rather do that than deal with a sister who can't and won't understand and support me," he growled and headed right for the door.

"You don't deserve me as a sister," I whirled and grabbed him by the arm relentlessly. "And you're not going anywhere. Today you're going to stay at home and think about all of your mistakes."

With a violent jerk of his arm he got rid of my clutch. Throwing a final, distasteful glance at me, he walked out the door, and didn't look back.

* * *

 **(Heunghwa Palace, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

I could have my much needed peace when I was at work. Dealing with politics was tricky and tough, but it could never put me off as much when compared to how much my late wife and my bothersome sister riled me.

"I'm sorry I had to leave so abruptly yesterday," I said to Prince Mu, sighing as we got seated at his office. "Truly, I had meant to stay, had it not been for the emergency."

"Geolha, it's fine. Your wife was going to give birth, of course you ought to be there," he smiled, because he knew not of the tragedy.

"Yes, of course," I replied perfunctorily.

"You...don't sound convinced," he observed.

I stifled a sigh and explained everything to him, including how I got rebuked by my very own sister this morning. But I also expressed my wish to _never_ talk about this ever again. "I'd much rather talk about the exorcism rite that's coming up. Where were we up to? What did I miss? Were your other advisors able to offer any solutions throughout yesterday's discussion?"

Now that we were approaching the 12th lunar month, the exorcism rite was quite a big deal. It aimed to ward off evil spirits, but I doubted it would do much to ward off caitiffs who were seeking to use this as an opportunity to assassinate the Crown Prince. We knew this because yesterday, before all of the bad stuff happened, Choi Jimong, who was the King's astronomer and also one of Mu's counsellors, had reported this, and that it had been a new rumor around the royal court.

During the rite, as per tradition, one of the Princes would be chosen to be the ritual exorcist, to lead the ceremony. This time, it was Mu. His task was to play the role of the Fang Xiang Shi, which meant he'd have to dress up, wear a mask with four golden eyes, and carry a lance and shield, to expel malevolent spirits and orient unwanted spirits in the directions to which they belonged. He was entrusted with the task of orchestrating the seasonal ritual, to chase on disease-causing demons from houses and buildings in not just the palaces but also in the villages and towns. He also had to lead a funeral procession, to exorcise corpse-eating spirits away from a burial chamber, and to keep the deceased safe. But the ceremony that really drew attention was that he, along with his assisting deities played by other princes or noblemen at court, would perform a dance together, all of them clad in a black upper garment and a red lower garment. As all of the performers would don masks, there'd be more confusion about who was staging the attempt on the Crown Prince's life, yet it also implied that the mastermind, or at least one of their agents, was someone within the walls of Songak.

"Well, it seems Jimong has someone in mind. Someone who might be willing to substitute for me as the Fang Xiang Shi," Mu replied solemnly.

I raised my eyebrows doubtfully. "But you don't want to put anybody's life at risk."

"No. I mean, I certainly don't want to die, but I'd hate it if an innocent person has to die for me at the hand of someone who intends to assassinate me." He was feeling really conflicted about this, furrowing his eyebrows.

"And who might that be?" I inquired.

"My younger half-brother, the 4th Prince So," he answered. "Apparently he is resolved to stay at Songak at all costs, even though I've yet to figure out whether or not my royal father intends to allow it."

"Didn't you just meet with His Majesty yesterday evening, in private? You've told me that the King seemed to have something serious to discuss."

"Oh, that. Yes, I did meet with him, but it was not the exorcism rite that he wanted to speak to me about. It's about planning a marriage."

"You'll be taking another wife?" I enquired.

"No, not me."

"The King is going to marry again. I'm very surprised," I said sardonically. But it actually wasn't that bad a thing after all, since another marriage would mean that His Majesty would have less time and attention to devote to Moongeum, which made it easier for me and her to have our affair.

"It's not the King, either. It's the Princess," Mu revealed.

That took me by surprise. "Princess Yeonhwa? Oh, I hadn't realized that Her Highness is of marriageable age already."

He smiled. "Yes, she's 16 now. Time flies. It's really about time to pick a suitable husband for her."

"And the King wanted your input on who he ought to marry off his favorite daughter to?"

He nodded, looking pleased. "Khitan has always been a most salient threat to Goryeo, but with my sister Chuja there, happily married to their Emperor, there seems no particular need for Yeonhwa to be married to a foreign emperor, king or prince now."

"So it's the Goryeo noblemen that the King is considering," I concluded.

"That's correct. Particularly those whose families will be in Songak most of the time, as we will be taking into account Yeonhwa's personal preference to not have to leave the royal court even when she is married," he added. "His Majesty would like to know if there is anybody that I reckon would be good enough for his younger daughter. Oh, and the King also specified that the Princess' future husband must be her intellectual equal."

"Interesting," I commented. This Princess was something special. "Did Her Highness request that personally?"

Mu smiled. "Yeonhwa would know better than to open her mouth and ask for it so blatantly. But His Majesty knows that it is what Yeonhwa desires. I trust her mother, Queen Hwangbo, has also hinted at it."

"I see," I hummed. An intelligent and astute Princess, nothing like what most noblewomen were: shallow and silly. I happened to have an example of that at home. "Then, who did you suggest as the Princess' suitors?"

"Well, I haven't given His Majesty any suggestions yet. I should first take the time to familiarize myself with the unmarried noblemen at Court, to find out what they're like, so that's what I'm going to do these days," he announced. "I was going to suggest _you_ , Geolha, but then you're married to Lady Nangyung and I think the King would prefer to have Yeonhwa be her husband's first wife…" he felt bad as soon as he'd finished his sentence. "I didn't mean to bring up your loss. I'm sorry about that."

"Your Highness has nothing to apologize for," I said flatly. "And to be accurate, I'm technically no longer married now." But I did not dare add that I'd be available if neither the King nor the Princess minded a widower, because I did not desire to go into another marriage, even if it was to a Princess, when I still loved Moongeum and I didn't think I could ever stop loving her.

"I'm not going to push you into a marriage if you do not desire it, Geolha," he said firmly.

I laughed wryly. "In that respect, Your Highness treats me better than my parents are treating me."

He chuckled. "You're my friend, Geolha. I won't force you into anything. Nor would I do that to my little sister. I want nothing but the best for her as well as for you."

I sat and ruminated over his words. He treated his younger sister so well. It made me reflect on how my relationship with my own sister was, even though I was still pissed off because of her. I didn't think I was really ever close to Hyeong and Geolsang because I was so much older than them so we had separate groups of playmates. It also seemed as if Hyeong and I had nothing in common. She hated my hobbies and interests; I hated that she had none and did nothing all day. It wasn't even really so much about Nangyung that we quarreled. It was a buildup of a lot of differences between us. But perhaps it didn't have to be that way.

* * *

 **A/n: Geolha is quite a jerk, huh?**

 **P.S. Reviews are very much appreciated and would make my day!**


	6. Respect

**A/n: There'll be a couple of new characters in this chapter, but more importantly, Hae Soo will make an appearance! Please make sure to read till the end, especially if you guys liked Hyeong and Prince Yo! :DD**

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

Whilst Crown Prince Mu and Lord Geolha were in Heunghwa Palace discussing the matter of marriage plans for Princess Yeonhwa, little did they know that the Princess herself had taken matters into her own hands and was currently looking for someone to marry, someone who had a secure and stable position at the royal court, so she could use a marriage to him as an excuse for her to stay in Songak and gradually rise in power. Although, of course, she would not make her motives obvious. In spite of her ambitions and at the same time as working to make them a solid reality, she continued to carry out her duties as the only royal princess in Songak. For example, today, she had invited all of the young noblewomen at court to her residence, where they'd gather to make lanterns for the exorcism rite, whereas the maids, like Woljin and Chaeryung, would take care of the decorations too.

At the long tables in a large antechamber were dozens of young ladies including the consorts of the Princes of Goryeo. Seated closest to Princess Yeonhwa herself would naturally be her numerous sisters in law. Her eldest brother the Crown Prince Mu had several wives and concubines. Her 3rd brother Prince Yo had two wives, Lady Moongong and Lady Sinye; the former had brought her youngest sister Lady Moonsung along. Yeonhwa's very own brother the 8th Prince Wook had Lady Myunghee whose cousin Lady Hae Soo was also here, and finally there were Yeonhwa's 9th brother Prince Won's two wives Lady Kang and Lady Kim.

As Lady Hyeong was arguably the highest ranking noblewoman, after the Princess and all the Princes' consorts, she was allowed to sit near them. However, just because they were sitting close together did not mean that they actually shared a close relationship or that they liked each other. For instance, Hyeong observed that there was obviously a very strong sense of rivalry and competition between Lady Moongong and Lady Sinye, the consorts of the 3rd Prince Yo respectively. She had never met them before but she had heard of the former, at least. This was because Moongong's father, Park Younggyu, was the Vice Chancellor, which meant he and Hyeong's father worked together in the government often. Park Younggyu knew of his eldest daughter Moongeum's previous relationship with Geolha, but of course gave no consideration to a marriage between them when he could reap more benefits out of sending his eldest into King Taejo's harem instead. His middle daughter Moongong made a marriage that was just as successful, to the 3rd Prince, and even had a son and a daughter. His youngest daughter Moonsung was not of marriageable age yet, but there was no doubt she'd follow in her sisters' footsteps and become the woman of a powerful and rich man.

Anyway, from Hyeong's observation, Lady Moongong was doing everything in her power to outdo Lady Sinye. Even on the most trivial matters like how a lantern ought to be folded and pieced together, Moongong would not let go of any opportunity to throw snide remarks at Sinye's face. But Sinye didn't seem to mind it that much. Instead she was able to gracefully accept the criticism, actually thanked Moongong for pointing out her wrongs, and responded by saying that she'd strive to do better. This stirred up respect in Hyeong for Sinye but only more hatred and spite from Moongong.

Moongong was not the only cynic here, though. It seemed to Hyeong that Princess Yeonhwa and Lady Hae Soo, the young, innocent, and even a little lost, cousin of Lady Myunghee, could not get along. Hyeong watched as Her Highness' facial expression grew more and more disgruntled with every clumsy move that Hae Soo made. It made Myunghee upset that her royal sister in law was treating her little cousin this way, but she did not dare protest as she knew her place. Her Highness might embody decorum but her temper was not mild.

The Princess felt no need to hold anything back in her barbs, only seeking to humiliate Hae Soo. It was as if Hae Soo had done something to offend Her Highness in the first place in a prior incident, only Hyeong had no clue what it was. Even she felt bad for Lady Soo. Eventually, she didn't have to suffer under Her Highness' verbal abuse, but she was sent to do something even tougher: to prepare glue for the lanterns. If Hyeong or any other noblewoman was assigned to perform this task, they would doubtless have pleaded for mercy, but Hae Soo had them all taken aback when she didn't even look displeased, as if she didn't have any idea how strenuous this task was. They all stared at her blankly as she stretched her arms and followed her maid Chaeryung outside to make glue. They could say nothing, only inwardly wishing her good luck.

* * *

~Hyeong's POV~

Indoors, we ladies had spent an hour making lanterns now, and so Princess Yeonhwa allowed us all a recess. I was slightly concerned for Lady Hae Soo and wanted to see how she was doing with the glue. I found my way to the backyard and found Lady Soo lying on the table, her limbs dangling. I crept closer and found that she appeared to be asleep. Not dead, to my relief. Her face was full of sweat and she had stains and marks over it.

The smoke from the pot of glue emitted an unpleasant smell that made me cough, which woke Hae Soo. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed and bolted upright. "I knew this would happen." She went immediately back to stirring the glue mixture in the large pot.

"Are you alright, Lady Soo?" I asked hesitantly, covering my nose and mouth.

"Perfectly fine! I can do this no problem," she smiled confidently. I was just awestruck that she could still manage to smile when in face of such adversity. And she didn't just seek to barely get it done; she even wanted to do it well. Clearly she was not to be underestimated, and if Princess Yeonhwa took Hae Soo to be anything less than strong and determined then Her Highness would be mistaken.

As I was too surprised to speak, she did. "You must be Lady Hyeong, from the An family," said she. "I remember Your Ladyship because my friend Chaeryung told me her friend Woljin, who serves you."

"Yes, that's me," I nodded. "But, Hae Soo," I said hesitantly. "Why are you doing this? You're a noblewoman; this is not a lady's job. Just leave it to the manservants to do it; you could supervise them instead...which I'm sure you'd much rather do?" I just couldn't come to terms with how at peace she was at being sent to do hard work that was not befitting for her rank. Yes, I knew she was doing this at the orders of a Princess who was not to be defied, but shouldn't Soo at least feel offended about it?

"Oh, no, no. I wouldn't do that," said Hae Soo resolutely. "I'll prove to her that I can tackle whatever obstacles she hurls my way, so she'll treat me with respect, even though I doubt that she'll do that with a lot of people," she explained, whilst rubbing her forearms. Her muscles must be sore by now and I felt so bad for her. I wanted to help her out of this situation more than I wanted to help her get this done. I really, really, really didn't want to get my hands dirty, but then I felt so guilty just watching her struggle on her own and not lending a helping hand.

"After all," she added and smiled, looking content. I had never seen anyone look content while making glue. Either Lady Hae Soo was full of surprises or she was not in her right mind. I didn't get a full account of what happened from Myunghee, but it must have had something to do with the time she apparently got into an accident and hurt her head. "I did promise Prince Wook that I would make an effort to make myself useful and do whatever I can to lessen his burdens. He treats me so well, he and my cousin Myunghee both, of course. It's really the least that I can do to repay them."

Her words had a profound impact on me. It made me think that I had always taken my servants' hard work for granted and still believe with such conviction that they are inferior to us aristocrats. In fact it should be the other way round: we highborns without our servants and attendants would actually be nothing, because there'd be so many household chores and tasks that we had no clue how to perform.

"Here, why don't you have a rest and I'll...err, try to take over?" I volunteered. She deserved a rest, and my newfound respect for her had overridden my disgust at having to do such 'lowly' tasks. I had only met her for an hour and yet she had this effect on me. What an interesting girl, mature and wise beyond her years. She was only a few months older than me as I was about to turn 16.

"Don't worry about it! Just leave it to me," she insisted. "You must be tired from making so many lanterns. You should take a break and relax."

"I…you know, Hae Soo," I suggested. "I don't mean to criticize your handicraft but...how about you let me teach you how to…'properly' make a lantern? So that you could help out with that instead of suffer here."

"Oh, you are willing to teach me that, Lady Hyeong? I'm willing to learn, but you might find that I'm slow," she joked. "Thank you for your offer though. I'll be sure to take you up on that, but right now, I'm not suffering," she explained. "Whenever I think to myself that this is something in my power, this is something that I can do that will make Prince Wook have one less thing to worry about, I'll do it happily. I have no complaints whatsoever."

I was thoroughly impressed by Lady Soo. "Your Ladyship seems to have a very close relationship with His Highness the 8th Prince."

"Yes, I do see him a lot. And he teaches me a lot of things. The ways of the court, whom I should beware, and of course, most importantly, how to read and write!"

My jaw dropped. "Surely...surely the Hae family can afford a brilliant education for you, Lady Soo?"

"Oh, well, that's true, but…" she scratched her head embarrassedly and drew my attention to how messy her hair now was. "Ever since I hit my head, it seems I've forgotten many things and I've become a lot clumsier. But as Myunghee tells me, I've also transformed into a much cheerier person, so I guess that kind of makes up for it?" She giggled.

I smiled. "That's true. You are indeed a very cheerful person, Hae Soo." It was nice to meet her actually.

Eventually, Princess Yeonhwa had allowed Hae Soo back into the antechamber and assigned someone else to make glue. It was now time for the ladies to have a snack. An assortment of cakes and biscuits and dumplings and other delicacies was prepared. They were so scrumptious and the ladies were so hungry that very soon, many of the dishes were cleared. I watched as Lady Sinye reached for the last piece of crystal cake but it was promptly snatched up by Lady Moongong's deft move of the pair of chopsticks in between her long, slender fingers. Everybody stared at them silently now, half of us eager to be entertained by the showdown between a man's first and second wives as was always the case, the other half hoping nothing too bad would happen.

"Oh, did you want that?" asked Moongong phonily. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take away from you something that you loved so much," she said, appearing polite but it really did seem that she was talking about more than just the crystal cake. She must have been hinting at how her husband, the 3rd Prince, was taken from her by Sinye when she came along and married the Prince. And then it had struck me that just a few days ago I had met their husband Prince Yo, but hadn't actually made our acquaintance.

Before Sinye had the chance to reply, Princess Yeonhwa noticed the tension and piped up. "If my Ladies enjoyed these cakes, I'll instruct the kitchen maids to make more tomorrow."

Sinye first thanked Her Highness cordially, then turned to Moongong calmly and said, "my Lady has nothing to apologize for. If Your Ladyship would like to have the last crystal cake, by all means it is yours."

"Now, that's very kind of you," Moongong replied icily, but did not keep the crystal cake for herself although it was trapped in between her chopsticks. In front of everyone, she had placed it into the bowl of her 15 year old sister, Lady Moonsung. "I was actually saving it for my little sister. It's her favorite snack, after all," she said, and nudged Moonsung lightly, as if giving her the cue to deliver a rehearsed line.

"Thank you, Lady Sinye," Moonsung said shyly.

The tension was diffused and the recess had ended. It was time for us to go back to making lanterns. We needed a lot of them.

* * *

When the day had finally ended and even the sun was about to finish work, Princess Yeonhwa had thanked us all once again for helping out. "It is thanks to all of you that the exorcism rite will go smoothly with all these lanterns to dispel malicious spirits," she said gracefully. All of us curtsied in return and one by one, with our handmaidens, returned to our respective residences.

It was once again when I was about to leave another Prince's home that I had crossed paths with the august, charismatic 3rd Prince Yo. He was clad in black this time, with a blue vest, and carried a sword with him. I thought that must have been his costume for the upcoming rite.

Obviously, I wasn't planning on seeing him again, and neither was he here to see me of course; I supposed he was merely dropping by to pick up his family and be on their way back home together. What a caring and devoted husband His Highness was! I knew that all of the Princes were also here at Yeondeok Palace to prepare for the exorcism ritual in their capacity, but Prince Won wasn't even bothered to come by for his wives.

"Your Highness," I bowed and greeted Prince Yo as I should. With my best smile, of course, as I kept thinking about what he said to me the other day. I wondered if he still remembered me, since I had only occupied his attention for a few moments, yet he had invaded my thoughts every now and then these few days.

"My Lady," he replied politely, but he just wore this smirk as if it was part of him. It wasn't malicious, just playful, in a sense, and teasing. Definitely very teasing. "Is it just the setting sun, or are you for some reason blushing?"

I now flushed madly, and had to look away even though he was so pleasant to look at. I groaned inwardly when I wasn't able to come up with a reply at all, even though I was panicking and running around wildly in my mind and ordering myself to think, think, think! But no, my wits had left me. They had deserted me when I was in greatest need of them.

"Looks like it's definitely the setting sun, then," he said deliberately when I couldn't say anything in reply, and he sounded so very amused.

"Your Highness is making fun of me," I protested, albeit giggling softly. "It does a lady no favors to be mocked by a Prince." I was able to look at him now. I even found that he was _smiling_ at me now rather than smirking. In fact, it was a smile that was even more dazzling a view than the beautiful sunsets of Songak. As I did not know him well, I had only heard accounts of him and it seemed many of them stated that His Highness was a dispassionate and aloof man who'd frighten the people around him. That he was driven only by his political ambitions and cared for nothing else. But I felt differently, even before he told me that I need not be afraid. I failed to understand how others could have perceived him as cold and unfeeling when all I felt was _hot_ when I was around him. And here I was, feeling these feelings that I never thought I'd ever feel.

"But somehow that has managed to earn a smile from you," he remarked. His tone had turned gentler, so it didn't feel like he was up to something that could make me suffer.

"Your Highness," said someone else. Which meant I no longer was the center of his attention. I wasn't too upset, though, I found that it was just his wives looking for him. I must have kept them waiting for too long. I could only bow at Lady Moongong and Lady Sinye apologetically.

"Let's go home, shall we?" Lady Moongong simply spoke to her husband and ignored my presence. "I'm sure Woongdo and Younggi miss their father."

Oh, so the 3rd Prince had two children already. Interesting. But I learned nothing more about him and his family as he headed home with his wives. I'd only think about my conversation with him, and the way he made me feel.

* * *

 **A/n: Thank you for reading! There'll be more about Yo and his wives in the next chapter. Interesting backstories ahead! Until then, please review! :DDD**


	7. Sinye

**(Gyeongchun Palace, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

Moongong had gone to sleep early today. My lady wife must be exhausted for it had been a long day. I dismissed the nursemaids and personally put my infant daughter Younggi to sleep. She was only a couple of months older than her cousins, my 9th brother Won's sons. I knew that Moongong's health had not completely recovered after a difficult labor that brought Younggi into this world. It wasn't even that tough when she gave birth to our first child, a son, Woongdo, two years ago. When the court physician told me and Moongong that it was unlikely that she would survive giving birth a third time, she and I had grown more distant from each other. It was not because I was displeased that she would not be able to give me any more children; in fact _she_ was more frustrated by that than I was. At the moment I was quite content with having a son and a daughter. But it wouldn't suffice for her. She loved our children, but to a certain extent, they were her bargaining chips and her family's hold over me. We didn't marry out of love, although we had a cordial relationship. It was her father, Lord Park, the Vice Chancellor, who orchestrated the marriage between us. He was an ambitious man, as wily as a fox, and marrying off his daughter to me had meant that he had confidence that I'd be the one to ultimately claim the throne, and make his daughter the Queen, even though right now I was not the Crown Prince. Indeed, with the support of the Park family, and that of my uncle Shikryeom, plus my mother's Yu family's backing, I had a very strong chance of becoming the next King. My eldest brother Mu was in the way, and I was certain that at least two of my younger brothers were also after the throne, so I had to wait for the right timing to strike.

I put Woongdo to sleep as well, and proceeded to my own study, where my second wife Sinye was waiting for me. Granted, Moongong hated Sinye's presence as second wives were always a threat to first wives, but with Sinye it was different. She and I were only husband and wife in name, not in deed and never in bed. Although Moongong was unbeknownst to this, and I thought it would be better to keep it that way.

Sinye and I got into a marriage that was of an utterly different nature than the one I shared with Moongong. Sinye and I were never in love with each other, but it was not a politically or socially beneficial marriage either, as she did not come from an aristocratic family like Moongong did. Yet we met under very special circumstances and I often wondered if it was truly a coincidence or destiny.

Sinye was not as common as the maids in my residence, but she was not awfully rich either. Her parents were merchants, but that was no excuse for how they treated her like she was a product to be bartered off and sold. It was a really ordinary day when I was on my carriage and roaming the streets of a small town. I was only outside the palace since my father the King had given me orders to travel to a military quarter to check on the logistics, supplies, and operations, then report to His Majesty, a relatively simple mission. Just the usual, nothing eventful. I had already concluded my visit and was already on my way back home. Originally I did not have to take a route that crossed the town that Sinye was from, but I'd got bored of traveling through mountains and forests so I told the driver to take an alternative path. It was this random decision, made out of boredom two years ago, that had swerved me in the direction of Sinye, and had led me to meet a woman that would change my life indelibly.

When my carriage passed through the busy streets, people were supposed to make way. But when they didn't do that, something bad had to be happening. One of the guards in my retinue had informed me that there seemed to be a blockade because a girl was supposed to be getting married as per her parents' arrangements, and she was all dressed up for the supposedly merry occasion already, but she was refusing to enter into this marriage that she did not ask for.

I was so curious. I had never seen a female so defiant. I _knew_ , I just _knew_ , that this girl had to be something else. I had to see for myself what was happening. I stepped out of the carriage and paced, steadily and calmly, to the source of the commotion. I was not focused on the bows that the townspeople sent my way, as a young woman's protests had caught my attention, her voice loud and clear. She was openly defending her rights to choose who to marry!

My first reaction was to frown in displeasure and even disgust that someone could have such disregard for the rules of our society. Rights?! None of us had any say in who to marry. It was always, always our parents' decision, and solely theirs. We ought to be obedient and respect their wishes, because our parents knew better and they'd only want the best for us. That was what I was taught as I grew up. I didn't utter a single word of complaint when my parents had announced to me that I was to take Lord Park's daughter to wife. It was my duty as their children to comply with their commands, just as it was my duty as a Prince to take, as my first wife, a woman of a befitting rank, and have children by her to carry on the royal bloodline. I did my duty and took pride in that.

However, as I listened to this girl protest and defy her parents outwardly, as she vehemently refused to submit her autonomy and sexuality to any man, her words began to make sense to me. I never thought they would, but they did. Her cause, her beliefs, what she stood for and with such conviction — it was not only impressive; it was admirable. I never, ever thought that as a Prince, highborn and dignified, I would ever be impressed by the spirits of a common girl. But I harbored a strong sense of respect toward her for standing up for herself, even if every single thing I'd learned about life at the palace was screaming at me at the back of my mind that this wasn't supposed to be how a woman should be acting. Her voice, one of independence and strength, had after a while drowned out the voices in my head that emphasized the social norms and roles we were expected to play. She was taking control of her own life, _asserting_ that control, and she'd let nobody take it away from her. Even though all those around her were trying to persuade her, pleading and begging, to do as her parents had told her to, but she simply would not yield, and instead turned the tables by demanding respect as a person. At first I thought she ought to be disgraced for her behavior, but now I was beginning to think that she ought to be praised for defending herself. She just had this fire in her, and she'd fight tooth and nail for what she thought she deserved. Wasn't that everything _I_ aspired to be? Was that not the spirit that I needed in order to fight for what I wanted and successfully get it? Why should I place my future in the hands of anyone but my own? I had met my role model and I couldn't even believe it.

While I stood and watched in admiration and respect, another of my guards had come up to me and reported that this girl's parents and her intended groom — oh, he was so old he had no teeth left — requested that I, their Prince, make a ruling and decide if the girl in question should marry the man her parents had chosen for her, or not.

"We beseech you, Your Highness," her mother pleaded. "Make our daughter see some sense."

I eyed her parents distastefully. "It's not her that needs to see sense," I declared, glancing at the girl who had been protesting so fiercely she was panting. The fire in her was still burning, so brightly, and she stared at me not pleadingly but, rather, with trust, almost as if she knew what decision I was going to make.

"A goodly Prince would never coerce his subjects into anything against their will. Nor should parents do that to their children," I berated them. They trembled in dismay as they sensed that I was not going to rule in their favor. The girl's father _looked_ as if he was about to protest, but ultimately decided against it.

The crowds gradually quieted down, although there were murmurs in disbelief. I knew that if this girl was to have her chance at building her own future, which she was definitely worthy of, she needed to get out of this town and rid herself of all its restrictive customs.

"My good lady," I decided to address her directly, and she better get used to that because I intuitively felt as if she would be of great help to me if I did her this favor now and lend her a helping hand that'd free her from marital enslavement. "If it pleases you, you will work in my household in Gyeongchun Palace at the royal court in Songak, until you find a husband of your own choice," I offered. Gasps arose, but I was firm.

She walked up to me, holding her head high in dignity yet bowing at me politely and gratefully. "If my Prince will have me, the honor is entirely mine to enter Your Highness' service."

Still clad in her wedding gown, I led her to my carriage and took her back to my residence. On the way, it was difficult for me to maintain a collected exterior when she was making me question a lot of my beliefs as we made conversation.

"Why did you do it anyway?" She asked boldly. "Why didn't you just leave me to suffer under my parents and my husband-to-be?"

I snorted. Her husband-to-be was twice our ages combined, but not even half as intelligent, I'd bet. "Why don't you tell me?" I tossed the question back at her. Frankly, I wasn't sure I had an answer. But maybe I'd have it in the future.

She smiled cryptically. "You helped me and gave me the chance to take back my future so I can live my own life and have the liberty to make my own decisions. Freedom is the one thing that we _all_ yearn for, kings and peasants alike, even though sometimes freedom is just power in disguise," she explained eruditely. "To you, Wang Yo, Prince of Goryeo, I owe a big favor. So if power is what you so desire...then I will repay you by standing by you and be at your aid so you may rise to power."

I returned the smile. "See, if you were married off to an old fool...what a waste it would've been."

"Oh? And if I work at Your Highness' household as a mere maid, it wouldn't have been a waste?" She challenged.

I didn't show it, but I was stunned by her cleverness. She had outsmarted me and knew there was no way she could be a mere servant if I were to enlist her help in my plans to achieve greatness. She needed to be of a higher position and status in order to be my right hand man — right hand woman, actually. With that intelligence she could easily be a diplomat. In my eyes she was already a much better negotiator than half the officials at court.

She must have known that I had figured it out now. She didn't even have to give me further hints when she said, "I'm still in my wedding gown, you see."

"You are willing to be my concubine?" I asked. It was an offer I wanted to take, but she shouldn't go into this with her eyes closed. "I have a wife already and I need her for several reasons. I won't give up what's mine just to gain a girl." Even though the girl was smarter than any girl I'd ever met.

She smirked. "Of course you shan't give up what you already have under your belt," she declared. "And she must be from a really prestigious and powerful family. Don't even think about divorcing her," she added. "If Your Highness will have me as your concubine, it's going to make things so much easier. But...that's just our cover. Let's live as allies. You'll find that my brains will matter to you more than my sex."

"Of course," I nodded and agreed. After all, she did state that she would not hand her sexuality and autonomy over to anybody and become the erotic property of any man. "In that case, wife," I said. "I must know your name."

"Jo Sinye," she answered breezily. "Pleasure to meet you, husband."

* * *

 **(Pyongso Residence, Songak)**

~So's POV~

There just seemed to be no way for me to get my mother to dislike me just a little less. I was both bewildered and frustrated that the extent of her abhorrence of me was actually beyond my expectation. I didn't know what else I could do about it, but lacking a mother's love was just making me feel very uneasy and worthless all in all, and very, very angry, about everything and everybody, including myself.

I had really thought that the present I had very thoughtfully prepared for her would please her. Sure, I had no way of knowing if she'd like the hairpin, or what kind of accessories she preferred, but perhaps it might have paved the way for her acceptance of me. But I knew I was a loser when I couldn't even give it to her. I faltered like a coward. On the other hand she gladly accepted the gift from my brother. Why must I be a failure? Why couldn't I have been somebody that she'd be proud of?

Speaking of, I had no clue where the hairpin had went after my catastrophic meeting with my mother and my brothers the other day. It was nowhere to be found and I had looked through every corner and drawer in my room already. Where did it go?

* * *

 **A/n: What do you guys think of Sinye's character? Share your thoughts with me in the reviews below! :D**


	8. Hyeong

**A/n: Hope you guys liked Sinye from previous chapters! If you liked the interactions between Haesoo and Hyeong I think you'll like this chapter too. ;D**

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

"Woljin, why is this happening to me?" I asked drawly. Discomfited, I rested my head on my chin as my handmaiden combed my hair.

"My Lady is still thinking about the 3rd Prince Yo?" Woljin teased.

I pouted. "I can't help it! I've only met him twice; he should not have such an effect on me. And yet I catch myself playing back my conversations with him...brief moments, but they seemed to last forever. You know, the way he spoke and every move that he made. His facial expressions and gestures and body language."

"My Lady does realize His Highness may not even know your name," Woljin pointed out.

"Oh, now that's depressing. I shouldn't even be allowed to think of him then," I declared. "Woljin, we must do something to take my mind off things."

Normally I would be spending the day with Prince Won and his family, but today his mother Lady Dongyangwon would be visiting Okrin Palace, so I better not get in the way of their family day. But still I needed something to do. Especially now that Nangyung was gone, and Lady Myunghee was less and less available. She was ill again with a really bad cough.

"Well, last time you really liked the crystal cakes that were served at Yeondeok Palace, my Lady," Woljin suggested.

"Oh! Yes indeed those were nice," I replied, and my stomach growled in agreement, making both me and Woljin giggle. "I do want to try to make crystal cakes. Join me, Woljin?"

"Of course, my Lady," Woljin smiled.

* * *

Later that day, Woljin informed me that in an hour's time the crystal cakes would be ready to be served. I was pleased with the attempt I had made, but it seemed boring to eat them alone. My parents were not at home, Geolsang was at Howon Palace with Prince Jung right now, and I hadn't forgiven Geolha yet — we hadn't exchanged a single word or glance since our last argument.

"Woljin," I said as I got an idea. "Will you make a trip to Gyeongchun Palace for me, please?"

"To the residence of the 3rd Prince?" She asked.

"Yes. I'd like to invite someone over to share these crystal cakes with us. But not His Highness. Last time when we were making lanterns with Princess Yeonhwa, I remember that Prince Yo's concubine, Lady Sinye, loved the crystal cakes," I explained. Her biggest hater, Lady Moongong, just had to take the last piece and give it to her younger sister Lady Moonsung, just to mock Lady Sinye.

"I shall let Lady Sinye know that Your Ladyship requests her presence here," Woljin bowed.

* * *

"Lady Sinye," I bowed cordially and received our esteemed visitor. "I don't think we've been formally introduced to each other before. I'm An Hyeong; my parents are Lord An and Lady Choi."

"Lovely to meet you, Lady Hyeong. I've heard of your lord father before," she replied. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"To these crystal cakes I've made for us today," I smiled, and at my cue Woljin approached us with a tray in hand. "It's your favorite food, is it not, Lady Sinye?"

"It is indeed, Lady Hyeong," she smiled so very joyfully. "I'm so honored that you remember. It's so nice of you to think of me."

"Well, I'm afraid Lady Moongong did make it pretty difficult for all of the ladies in the room to forget," I said apologetically. I felt bad that she had to put up with and share a husband with such a formidable woman.

She simply shrugged. "Her spite does not affect me. She thinks I'm here to steal her husband away from her, but that's not what I'm trying to do. Still, I suppose I can understand why she'd treat me so harshly. No woman would like to see her own husband turn away from her to another, especially not to another woman that he considers his ally, advisor, confidante and best friend."

It seemed she and Prince Yo was a lot closer than I could have thought. But as I spent the afternoon with her, I found it easy to get along with her, and she seemed wise and mature, so I liked to be around her. This was probably also why she was so important to Prince Yo. In fact chatting with her and listening to her — it was so illuminating and she was able to make me view some things differently. It felt sort of like how the 13th Prince Baekah was influencing me to be more open minded and not just scratch the surface.

It seldom happened that there were so many things we could talk about considering we were only really properly meeting each other for the first time. But we clicked instantly and that didn't happen with everyone. We had such a wonderful time and it was so nice to know her, but it was late now, sundown again, the time of the day that never once failed to remind me of her husband. And once I stopped thinking about him it was difficult for me to stop.

Just as Sinye was supposed to leave and go home, Woljin had informed me that she and the other kitchen maids had made another batch of crystal cakes, now neatly packed into a box, as a treat for our guest. I didn't give Sinye a chance to refuse, not even when I offered to walk her home. Although this was goaded by a selfish curiosity on my part, for I was interested in knowing what the residence of the 3rd Prince looked like so I needed an excuse to visit. But I swore this tentative friendship I was striking up with Lady Sinye was not an excuse for anything. Genuinely she was good company and it was nice to have her around. I let her know that she could feel free to drop by Hyunhui Mansion anytime and I'd welcome her.

On our way out, with our handmaidens following, we ran into my brother. I wished it were Geolsang instead, but no, it was Geolha coming home from work. I didn't pay him any attention though, and didn't bother to introduce him to Sinye, and she didn't ask. I didn't think I could ever really forgive Geolha over Nangyung. It was necessary to move on, but for him to have absolution? No.

Separating my thoughts from him, I kept chatting with Lady Sinye on the way.

"Actually, Hyeong, I think I remember you from somewhere. Was it you whom Prince Yo was speaking to when we were about to leave Yeondeok Palace last time?" She asked.

"Why, yes, that's indeed me."

"Oh, you never told me how you and His Highness were acquainted. How did you two first meet?"

"To be honest, we're _not_ really acquainted…" I confessed. "We've never been properly introduced to each other and His Highness doesn't even know my name."

"That can be easily remedied," she replied breezily. "I think His Highness is home already."

And indeed he was, walking up to the gates to personally welcome his wife home. He already looked pleased to see Sinye back, and deep inside I was hoping he'd be pleased to see me too. But he didn't even know who I was.

"I trust you've had a great day today," said the Prince, smiling at Sinye. It seemed his wife Lady Moongong was nowhere to be seen. Which perhaps was not bad, as it was clear she did not like seeing others hold her husband's attentions.

"Indeed. Your Highness can tell me about your day over dinner," Sinye smiled too. "I'm going to put this in the kitchen first," she said, pointing to the box of crystal cakes her maid was carrying. I sent Woljin to go with them to help, which conveniently left me alone with the Prince. Ah, I should not be enjoying this so much.

"It's that time of the day again, my Lady," said His Highness mischievously as the sky turned more colorful, more pinkish. I tried to prevent my cheeks from doing the same and didn't fail miserably. "If we keep meeting like this, and you still won't tell me your name, I'm going to feel quite frustrated."

It was my turn to smirk. Was it bothering him too that he didn't know my name? Clearly our previous meetings, albeit fleeting, had some sort of an impact on him. Perhaps they didn't affect him as much as they affected me, but it was better than nothing, because reciprocation, no matter the extent, still meant something to me.

"That's because Your Highness never asked," I replied. This time, I sounded more confident.

He stepped closer to me, exhibiting evident interest and he was not about to let me get away from him. "So all I need do is ask? And I shall receive?"

Ah, he was eager. This made me think that I maybe had him in my grasps, so the least I could do was try to tease him a bit, playfully getting back at him for mocking me last time. "Oh, I'm afraid it's not that simple, my Prince."

"Why's that?" He asked, willing to play. He took another step forward but I took a small step back, to lure him in. I didn't even have any idea _how_ or _why_ this was going so smoothly, but I was liking it very much. Those _feelings_ were back. Those feelings that I felt only when I was around His Highness.

"Because, my Prince," I answered singsong. "A lady does not just give her name away to anybody. You'll have to earn it," I smiled impishly. "I don't want to give it out to people who aren't deserving of it, so I must know Your Highness better before making a decision."

"Is that so?" He chuckled in amusement. "Very well then. I'll play by the lady's rules. I won't ask Sinye for your name. I'm confident that I can earn it myself."

"And I've always taken a liking to a man with confidence," I commented smoothly.

"How about this then?" He suggested. "The day after tomorrow, I don't have to rehearse for the dance at the exorcism ritual. So I have the day off and I'd like to take you someplace special. How would my Lady like that?"

"I would love to spend time with Your Highness," I blurted. I didn't mean to reveal it so straightforwardly, but it was just difficult to be fully in control and maintain that control the whole time when I was with him. I could never forget the authoritative aura he had when I saw him for the very first time. There was just a regal air about him that made me want to submit to him.

Woljin had returned from the kitchens to rejoin me at my side. It was time to go. When Prince Yo saw her, he said to me, "well then, I will see you the day after tomorrow."

I bowed and took my leave, but not before shooting him a puckish smile.

* * *

On our way back home, Woljin and I passed by some random guest chambers at court that normally we wouldn't look twice at. But this time we couldn't not pay attention to it because several princes gathered while Princess Yeonhwa had a whip in her hand and seemed to be penalizing two maids. Except only one of them seemed to be a maid, judging from her uniform, and the other wasn't. In fact she looked to be a noblewoman but why would a noble lady be subject to corporal punishment like that?!

Woljin gasped when she saw who the maid was. "Chaeryung! That's Chaeryung!" She was extremely worried. That was her friend after all. I felt bad for them but I stopped Woljin from stepping forward, only allowing her to watch from a distance with me. What could she do anyway? She was just a maid too. And it was the Princess' responsibility to manage the servants at the palace — it would not be appropriate for us onlookers to stop her from doing her job.

Although we were merely observing from afar, we still took a precautionary step back when we saw who it was that came along out of nowhere to boldly put a stop to the punishment that Princess Yeonhwa was warranting. It was the wolf dog! The 4th Prince Wang So! They said there was no humanity in him, only brutality. He had the ugliest scar on his face, behind that mask he never took off. We ought to fear him and stay away for our own good.

Whatever the wolf dog had done, Princess Yeonhwa really seemed to stop. Chaeryung and the other girl — oh my goodness! Was that...was that Lady Hae Soo?

Woljin and I only dared approach the 'victims' when the incident seemed to have been put to rest. Prince Wook led Prince So to somewhere we couldn't see, Princess Yeonhwa seemed to storm off with her handmaids trailing after her and cowering in fear of her wrath, whilst the other Princes went another way. Woljin rushed to Chaeryung immediately.

"We better get a physician to check your injuries," I said to Hae Soo worriedly.

"i didn't get hurt," she murmured. "Underneath so many layers of clothes, I hardly felt anything," she explained wryly. "Besides, I don't want Myunghee to worry. She's already very sick."

That made me sad. "What have you done to anger Her Highness?" I whispered.

"Neither Chaeryung nor I had done anything wrong. It was a misunderstanding, really. But I have no doubt Her Highness had been looking for an excuse to give us a hard time," she sighed, and adjusted her clothes. "Is it really so wrong that I just wanted Chaeryung to return a hairpin to Prince So?"

I gulped at the mention of the wolf dog. Scary. "Hae Soo, why would you have something that belongs to His Highness in your possession?" I asked.

"Oh, it's a long story and you don't want to know. In fact, I wish I never knew," she groaned and shook her head.

Was it really that bad? "It...it's not a token of his...affections, is it?" I inquired daringly.

"What?" Soo blinked at me.

"His Highness didn't give this hairpin to you because he's...pursuing you, right?" I said cautiously.

"Pursuing me? Oh, no, no," she laughed wryly. "He wants me dead. There's no way he would ever want to court me."

He wanted Lady Soo dead! Oh, dear. I really didn't want to know.

"He scares the living daylights out of me," she admitted, and her voice was shaky. I looked her in the eyes and saw that she was about to cry. "Just every single time he sees me he threatens to kill me. What have I ever done wrong? I never meant to offend him!" She protested and really began to cry.

"Oh, Soo," I hugged her. I felt so bad for her. She always got picked on.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be like this," she said dully, her voice muffled.

"No, it's alright to cry," I said soothingly as she gripped my sleeves in her fists.

"I just don't want to cry in front of Prince Wook. I want to be strong for him. I really do. I desperately do. But all I seem to have ever done is give him trouble. Sometimes I hate myself for that, you know? Achieving the opposite of what I wanted." The frustration in her voice was real.

"You're not weak," I said in reassurance and sympathy. "You've just been strong for too long." I handed her my handkerchief. "Do you want to come over to my residence? It's not far away. We can sit and talk about it if you want," I offered.

"No, I should go home and see Myunghee," she said sadly. "Thank you though. You've been kind to me, Lady Hyeong. I won't forget it."

* * *

 **A/n: Thanks for reading! Please review! :D**

 **P.S. There'll be more Wang Jung in the next chapter, and also Geolha does something dangerous and risky. :P**


	9. Sweetness

**A/n: The adorable 14th Prince Wang Jung returns in this chapter. Enjoy. :D**

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

I was staying at home today, as I wanted to finish at least one of the books that I had borrowed from the 13th Prince Baekah. I didn't find them as boring as I used to. In fact they amused me more than I had anticipated. I wished I could share this joy with Woljin as no doubt she'd laugh along with me if she read what I read, but then she did not have the chance to receive an education.

"Hyeong! Hyeong!" A familiar, energetic and joyful voice filled the corridor outside my study, followed by rapid footsteps. It must be the 14th Prince Jung. Woljin opened the door for His Highness and he strode in, all smiles. I grinned too and rose from my seat to bow at him. Once I sent Woljin to serve tea for us, Prince Jung sat down next to me.

"I'm surprised Your Highness is here to practice martial arts with Geolsang. I thought your royal father was ill and you're supposed to be with His Majesty and your royal siblings," I said to him.

"He is unwell, but we're not allowed to see him yet. Only my mother and Queen Hwangbo get to. And then maybe the Crown Prince, but I'll probably have to wait longer for my turn. I hope he will recover quickly," Jung replied solemnly.

"I hope so too," I replied. My father was supposed to have daily council meetings with King Taejo and his other advisors, but now it looked like they'd be having that discussion among themselves without His Majesty. "Why has Your Highness come to see me?"

He pouted childishly. "Am I not allowed to see you, Hyeong? It's what I want to do, every time I visit."

I giggled. "Do you mean to say Geolsang is just an excuse for Your Highness to come over? My, my, if my brother were to know about this…"

"Hush, don't tell him that," he chuckled. "I instructed him to do a hundred push-ups just now. He needs to train his stamina if he wants to be a great warrior someday, like I know I will."

"I've complete faith in Your Highness about that," I beamed approvingly. "It must've taken a lot of perseverance to train to become an excellent warrior. Your Highness is one of the very few people I know who has that determination and spirit to keep training no matter how tough it gets."

He smiled proudly and sincerely. "I know that my parents will be proud of me if I do well. I'm not as scholarly as my brothers are, but I sure can fight!"

"That's actually a mindset Geolsang shares, you know. He's not as fond of books and politics as Geolha is, so he's trying to get better at martial arts and sports so that he can be good at something to," I replied. "But of course he still has a lot to learn from Your Highness."

"Yes, I can tell," he said humorously. "I can also see why books don't interest him much, because I don't like to spend time on reading either. And if I remember correctly, you've never shown much interest in it either, Hyeong, so...do tell me, why are you bothered with books now? You're just like Baekah, studying poems day and night. It's...uncharacteristic of you."

"Indeed I did borrow these books from your 13th brother," I revealed.

"Yes, but you've never really liked reading before, right, Hyeong?" He asked. "Why change now?" And after a beat, he added. "Is it because you fancy Baekah?"

I chortled. "No, that's not true."

"Really? You're blushing though, so clearly there is someone that you like," he guffawed and insisted, closing in on me to whisper although he could barely stop himself from smiling, "who is it, Hyeong?"

"Nobody," I declared quickly. "What about Your Highness? Do you like anybody?"

"W-what…" he spluttered. "Hey, you're not supposed to turn the tables like that."

"Why not?" I blinked at him innocently, tilting my head to the side slightly.

"Well, I…" he hesitated.

"I won't force you to tell me," I winked. "But you've got to tell me something else in return. And you mustn't tell anybody that I've asked you about this."

"Alright. What do you want to know instead?" He offered as he ruffled his hair. I could tell he tried to mask his exhale of relief when I let him off the hook. There was no need for me to press on when his answer was rather clear already.

"You and your 3rd brother, Prince Yo, share a mother, right?" I began.

"Yes, that's true. But why does it matter? Surely that's not all you want to know from me."

"Of course not," I smiled mysteriously. "I would like to to ask Your Highness some things about Prince Yo actually."

"Sure, ask away. It's just...why him?"

"Oh, it's because I don't really know him that well. We've never talked before whereas with you and your other brothers we do have more contact. I've only met Prince Yo's wives a couple of times but we are not close," I answered. That was not completely false. I would not lie to Prince Jung for no reason. I figured I ought to try to know a little more about the man I was about to go on a date on with tomorrow.

"Alright, but what do you want to know about him?"

"What's he like?" I inquired.

"My 3rd brother...in some ways, I look up to him. He's really a role model, you know? He's good at a lot of things. He's bright, for sure, and even our royal father has praised him on a lot of occasions. Yo is also good at politics and stuff like that; that's why the King likes to send him on missions because he is highly competent. He just excels effortlessly," he answered thoughtfully and thoroughly. "I know some people have said that he's cold and aloof. But I never thought of him that way. In fact he's quite warm toward me."

"Is that so…" I nodded, more and more interested now. Prince Jung did think quite highly of Prince Yo. "What does he like, then?"

"Hmm...for sure archery and chess are his strengths — none of us have been able to beat him, ever. I'm sure he enjoys it a lot."

"Enjoy what, though? The games, or winning?" I enquired, intrigued.

"Both, I suppose," he shrugged casually. "I like wrestling but I like winning too."

"Especially when Geolsang is losing," I added lightheartedly.

"Naturally," he smiled. "Oh, and my 3rd brother, I know something about him that probably no other sibling does."

"Oh?" I arched my eyebrows. "You've got to tell me, Jung."

"Ah, now that I can't reveal. It's up to him to decide whether or not he wants you to know," he smiled secretively.

I desperately wanted to know. I needed answers and I could barely wait till tomorrow. I felt I was burning with curiosity. I could no longer focus on the books I was originally reading.

"You're right. I've never really liked reading anyway," I said to Jung, pushing the books to the corner of the table. "Let's go find Geolsang and maybe have a snack."

* * *

 **(Dongsanwon, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

Perhaps it was the weather, or perhaps it was the King's old age, or both, that had caused His Majesty to fall very ill. He was even unable to get up from his bed. As he did not appoint any of his sons or councilmen to lead the usual morning meetings in his absence, there was going to be no meeting today, not even mine with Crown Prince Mu and his other advisors. His Highness had met up with his brothers at the Damiwon, which conveniently left me to do whatever I pleased.

It was not the first time His Majesty had a collapse. This time was no different from last time: at the moment only Queen Yoo and Queen Hwangbo were allowed inside the King's bedchamber as they were the two highest-ranking consorts of King Taejo. His remaining concubines were not even allowed to wait outside his room in Cheondeok Hall. They were required to stay in their own residences until the King's astronomer, Choi Jimong, had sent for them as per His Majesty's instructions.

Since everybody, absolutely everybody at Court, was just so focused on King Taejo and how he was doing, I was just so tempted to visit Moongeum at her residence, Dongsanwon. I did not resist that temptation as this was honestly the perfect time. All eyes were on His Majesty and none on Lady Dongsanwon.

Having an affair with her _here_ in the royal court was too risky. Still, we managed to find our way. I brought a few books with me as I arrived at her residence, so that I could claim that the conversations I'd have with Lady Dongsanwon were of a purely literary nature, and I was just doing my job as one of the scholars in the Ministry of Arts and Humanities. However, the guards at the gates were preoccupied with a messenger whom I presumed, by his uniform, was sent by Jimong to deliver updates on the King's condition.

"Lady Dongsanwon is not at home. Seeing as none of the royal concubines are allowed to see the King, Her Ladyship has decided to leave the palace to go to a temple to pray for His Majesty's health," a guard revealed, and sent the messenger away to the residence of another concubine.

The guard didn't inform the messenger of which temple Lady Dongsanwon had gone to, but I knew which one Moongeum was at. It was Gameob Temple, and its construction was funded by the Park family actually. I knew of course it was just a ruse for her to get out of the palace. On the way to the temple, even if she really were going there, she'd stop by a lodging that was also owned by her family. It's just that none of her family members lived there and so they didn't station any servants there, only sending some to clean the place regularly.

I set off to said lodging on horseback immediately. I knew the way because it was not the first time I was there. In fact, the last time the King had a collapse, which was a couple of months ago, Moongeum and I had already shared an encounter there. Not to mention we spent some time there when we were younger and back then neither of us was married to anyone we did not like. It held a special place in our hearts.

Upon arrival, I hopped off my horse and was greeted by Moongeum's handmaiden, Joomae. She had been Moongeum's personal attendant for a long time now, so if Moongeum could trust her then I could trust her too. She was our enabler. Without her facilitation we would not have been able to have our affair. So of course she was to be paid generously solely for making it possible for me and Moongeum to even meet ever since she got married to the King.

Wisely, Joomae stayed in the kitchens so that I could have some privacy with Moongeum. I walked up the stairs promptly and reached Moongeum's chambers. She was already waiting for me, but apparently I hadn't come to her quickly enough as she was so impatient that she had grabbed me and kissed me first.

"Have you missed me?" I asked her afterward, keeping my tone playful yet affectionate, dropping two more kisses on her mouth before she could say anything to me.

"More than _you've_ missed _me_ , Lord Geolha," she answered, poking my chest emphatically as if pushing me away, but drawing me nearer to her at the same time.

"Oh, no, you have no clue how much I've missed you," I shook my head and murmured. I did miss her badly. For many years I _longed_ for her. The yearning in my heart only grew stronger over the years. We were pining for each other; it was agonizing that we could only have these clandestine meetings. She was everything I wanted, the only one I could ever love, no matter who or how many other noblewomen my parents wanted me to marry. "Besides," I added as she led me to the bed. "You know that I'm An Geolha with the rest of the world but Yoon Tae with you."

Truly, she was the first person in my life to ever show appreciation of my poetry. I'd loved it since a young age, but my parents had never given me much praise or attention in general, when I wrote something that I was proud of and wanted to show it to them. They didn't disapprove of my interest in poetry, but they didn't think too much of it either. Their biggest hope for me, their eldest son, was to either become a great warrior or be a great politician. Being a great poet had never meant much to them — that wasn't who they wanted their son to be, so I created an alias for myself, Yoon Tae, my most frequently used pen name — but it was worthy in Moongeum's eyes. She absolutely loved poetry and she loved _my_ poetry too. Every poem that I had ever penned for her was out of sheer love. Love and yearning and devotion. I could be who I wanted to be, whenever I was with Moongeum. That's why it was so liberating to be with her. Our forbidden affair on the other hand was just an irony.

"It's difficult to be Lady Dongsanwon when all of Songak is on my case," she replied, stifling a sigh. "But lucky for me, I get to be Park Moongeum when I'm with you. It's all I ever wanted to be. Don't you know I love you?"

I smiled joyously, holding her hands. "Don't you know I love you too?"

I was loathe to let her hands slip out from mine when she removed each layer of her hanbok, but it was getting hot in here. And no, it was not because of the furnace, not when our passion burned much brighter and stronger. My eyes glazed over every inch of her newly exposed delicate flesh. I nipped at the softness of the skin on her neck, and stroked gently the curve of her shoulders. My earlobe felt cool against her warm lips and quickening breath. She reached for my belt and undid it as our lips met again. If we were inside the unforgiving walls of Songak, just indirectly hearing from each other would mean a lot. But we got so much more from the few hours we spent together in each other's arms, in an otherwise plain room in an abandoned lodging, halfway to Gameob Temple.

* * *

 **A/n: yes, their love burns bright, but if a fuel burns quickly, is it lasting?**

 **Joomae may seem like a really minor character right now, but she'll play a more important role later on!**

 **And if any of you felt anything about the tragic relationship between the King and Court Lady Oh, they will be in the next chapter. :P**

 **P.S. Please review! :D**


	10. Grudges

**A/n: Merry Xmas you guys! Thank you so much for the reviews. They really mean a lot to me. Keep 'em coming! :D**

* * *

 **(Outside Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

My brothers and I had readily listened when Choi Jimong advised us to return to our residence to patiently wait for our father the King to send for them. It was standard protocol whenever the King had fallen ill. Both Mu and Won had gone home, Wook was joined by Baekah, whereas Eun and Jung had gone off separately to their friends. I was about to leave too but it was my 4th brother So who stayed behind adamantly.

"Leave," I scowled at him. "You don't know how it works around here. You won't get to see His Majesty unless he asks specifically for you. Which he won't, because if he were to see your face, I fear he'd only fall even more ill."

"Thank you for enlightening me on how things work at Songak. I didn't even ask for it, but you, my 3rd brother, are the only one who'd be so kind as to offer it," he replied with a casual shrug.

"You have no manners at all," I declared. He was in need of a painful rebuke. He was asking for it and I was going to give it to him. "Is that how the Kang clan raised you in Shinju? And yet you wonder why our mother doesn't like you."

"And do _you_ ever wonder why our mother loves you so much?" He countered dauntlessly.

That had me taken aback but I was used to not letting it show on my face. "It's only natural that a mother loves her son. It's just a pity she doesn't regard you as her son anymore. It's beneath her to be a mother to a wolf dog, wouldn't you agree?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," he said lazily, and showed no intention to leave.

I scoffed. "It would help me sleep at night if you were banished from Songak. No one here wants you around anyway. You have no place here at the royal court."

"That's what you think. I'm going to find my place here. I'm resolved to stay," he said coolly. "Or have you forgotten that I had slain my horse?"

I sneered at him. "It doesn't matter what you want or what attempts you make. If our father's Majesty wants to send you back to Shinju, none of your objections will have any bearing. I suggest you save yourself some embarrassment and do us all a favor, and crawl back to Shinju while you still can."

"What if it's _you_ that His Majesty wants to send away?" He questioned. "You know that it would have been you as the Kang clan's hostage, if it weren't for this," he said firmly, pointing at his ugly face.

I gritted my teeth because I hated that he was right to say this, and every time I thought about this I'd shiver and dread the what-if.

"I do have a purpose here," he continued mysteriously. "You just don't like that it might contradict yours."

"I wouldn't count on you to stop me," I contended. "You should be a good dog and sit at my feet. Get on the winning team rather than try to oppose me."

"Or I could trip you. Bite you. Howl and bark at you," he retorted. "It all depends on your attitude toward me."

"You should watch _your_ attitude toward me," I snarled at him. He ought to take my warning seriously, if he didn't want to end up like the horse he'd slain. I took a distasteful gander at him and went home.

* * *

 **(The King's bedchambers, Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

By the time King Taejo was awake, both Queen Yu and Queen Hwangbo had retired to their own residences as they needed to rest too after spending many hours in worry. The other lower ranking concubines were still not allowed to visit the King yet, nor was Lady Dongsanwon back from Gameob Temple.

The astronomer Choi Jimong was by His Majesty's side, asking Taejo if he wanted the company of any of his wives or his children, to which the King simply responded, "send in the Sanggung," as he sat up on his bed. "And tell the guards and maids outside to get some rest. Surely they're tired too after waiting on me for so many hours," he added, though it wasn't that he truly cared if they were tired, Jimong knew. He just needed them to go away to give him some privacy.

"Your Majesty," said the Sanggung softly, bowing once she entered the room. These formalities were expected of Court Lady Oh as she was the Sanggung of the Damiwon who served and answered to the King directly.

"Sooyeon," said His Majesty affectionately, although his tone was firm.

She looked up sadly. It had been too long since he last called her that. "How may I be of service, my King?" She asked anyway.

"You needn't bring me anything. Just sit next to me and keep me company," he stifled a sigh and patted the spot next to him on the bed.

Stiffly, she went to him. She needn't feel uneasy, because it wasn't as if they'd never shared a bed before. They had once been so intimate, but now, every time she was in the same room as he was, it was suffocating. And right now he wanted him to sit next to him — she couldn't breathe, nor could she stop her heart from beating so quickly. When she became the Sanggung of the Damiwon she thought that this would mean that she'd be one of his servants and there'd be more distance between them, which could allow her to rebuild the walls around the heart that he broke. But when he was beckoning her over, she knew she had to let those newly built walls melt away.

"I have never felt this weak before," Taejo let out his sigh now, and confided in his ex-lover. "I feel as though the gods will come and collect me any day now."

"Your Majesty mustn't say or think that. You are the King, appointed by and blessed by the gods. You'll live a long life. Ten thousand years, actually. It's not for no reason that all of your subjects knelt and chanted 'mansae, mansae, man, mansae' at your coronation," said Sooyeon, repressing her worry.

"Do you really think so?" said Taejo dubiously. "I was hoping to hear something different from you. Something that my subjects, my courtiers, my consorts, my children wouldn't say."

"I don't think I know what my King wants," said Sooyeon plainly.

He eyed her in slight dissatisfaction but decided to let it pass for now.

"My days are short," he remarked. "But when I think about how I've lived, it stops me from dreading the inevitable. It's the time we spent together, the thought of it, that keeps me alive and sustains me."

"It does no good to dwell on the past or think about what could have been. We were different people then," she declared, wanting to scoot away from him but also remembering that this was probably the closest to him that she could ever get, considering she was merely his servant now, so she would not be the one by his side when he'd leave this world.

"You're right. I'm a King now," he replied. "Every day, everywhere, I am reminded of that. But you, Sooyeon. It's only with you that I am not a King. Instead, I am just a man. An obscure colonel. That was where I started. That was where everything started. Do you remember, Sooyeon? Do you miss it? Do you still keep a token of we had in those days?"

"I could never forget being the young daughter of a pharmacist, naive and in love," she confessed. "But it feels less helpless to just let bygones be bygones. Some old wounds never truly heal, and bleed again at the slightest word. It would just be so much easier for me to let go."

"You have nothing to hold on to, then?" He questioned with a tone of disapproval, as if chastising her. "Does it cause you so much pain to just keep a knot with you?"

The knot. It was a true lover's knot, attached to a piece of jade, that the obscure colonel had given to the pharmacist's daughter many years ago, at the pinnacle of their love. He wanted her to keep it with her always as it represented his love for her. When he became King yet she could not become one of his Queens or even one of his concubines, she knew that they could never be together, and time after time he had disappointed her. In spite of that, 15 years ago when he invited her to his bed once more, she let him have her, completely. He was her love, after all, and she wanted to have him completely to herself too, even if it was just for that night. And when she left his bed the next morning, once again a King and his servant rather than two young lovebirds, she had left with his child in her womb.

This pregnancy was bad news. When it had reached the domineering Queen Yu, she sent a bowl of papaya soup to the Sanggung. This meant that poor Court Lady Oh would not get the chance to see her child grow up, ever. And the King knew that it was his most powerful wife who was behind this, but he showed no grief at losing an unborn child, and let his Queen get away with it. She was careful not to leave any traces of her crime, after all, and instead pinned it all on her other biggest threat, Queen Hwangbo. As a result, for a short period of time Queen Hwangbo and her two young children, the 8th Prince Wook and the Princess Yeonhwa, were exiled. Taejo did not issue any penalty to the true culprit and continued to allow Queen Yu to walk around with her nose in the air. This was what convinced the Sanggung, or as Taejo liked to call so affectionately, _Sooyeon_ , that he loved her no longer. That his love for her had been repressed for so long that it had been grinded into dust. She had lost her child _and_ his love, and she did not want any reminders of her losses. It made things just a bit easier for her to not keep the true lover's knot and that piece of jade — she was jaded anyway, and he no longer lived up to her expectations of a true lover.

Albeit her disappointment, she answered his questions anyway. "It pains me as much as the day I knew I could not raise our child," she admitted, suddenly emotional. "I know I shouldn't, but I think about it all the time. I think about how she would have turned out had she been allowed to live. I think about styling her hair and dressing her in her hanbok. I think about teaching her about the properties of each kind of herb and tea leaves. I think about watching her grow up and fall in love and do all of the things that I wanted to do but could never. And every time I do, I'm reminded of why I can only wish and speculate, not see with my own eyes."

"'She'? 'Her'?" He asked skeptically. "How do you know it's a daughter we had?"

"I just do," she asserted but with a shaky voice. Of course she had a reason for knowing, and it was beyond maternal instinct, but she could not tell him what that reason was, nor could she let him know about what she did with the true lover's knot and its accompanying piece of jade. It would be a secret she'd take to her grave. She'd never let him know what she'd done with the child.

In that moment he was filled with remorse and shame, but what could he do? The child was lost to him. "No doubt she's in a better place now, if it's a she," he said to her. He had meant to sound reassuring, but reassurance was the last thing she could get from him. "I don't have many daughters, Sooyeon. Only Chuja and Yeonhwa. When was the last time I saw Chuja? I don't even remember. It must have been some time before her mother died. And it's likely that I will never get to see my eldest daughter again. As for Yeonhwa, even if I give her absolute freedom to choose her husband, there's no way the Hwangbo clan that her mother is from will go easy on her. It is in a Princess' destiny to be controlled and used by others, I'm afraid. It's better that our daughter would not have to suffer like that."

"Is that how you justify it?" Sooyeon questioned, a bit spitefully.

"Now, that's something I wanted to hear from you," Taejo mumbled. Only she would dare stand up to him and challenge him, in private of course. It was when she did that that he wasn't treated like a King. It was ironic as he always chose being a King over anything else. He guessed it was because he had been treated as a King for many years and now that he could have the chance to just be an ordinary man, he thought he'd better take it. Although he would be buried and mourned as a King, when he'd die, he'd die like an ordinary man anyway.

It brought Sooyeon no happiness to be so close to him and to talk about the source of her suffering for many years. She didn't think she could ever find closure. She thought it would be best to take her leave now and hand him over to the women who had the fortune of giving him children.

She exited his room forlornly. The hallways were empty and cool, and she shivered slightly. _Winter is coming_ , she thought to herself. On her way back to the Damiwon where her post and her chambers were, she wondered if her daughter had enough clothes to keep warm.

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Although Hyeong thinks of Wang Yo quite positively, he's indeed a bully to the Wang So that we all love. I hope to show different sides of Yo's character.**

 **Don't worry, though, not everybody will treat So like crap. For instance, in the next chapter he will have a scene with another brother and it wouldn't be so hostile.**

 **It seems like things didn't go to plan when Queen Yu sent that bowl of papaya soup to Court Lady Oh with the intention of forcing a miscarriage. We know that she did end up giving birth to a daughter, and she's under the impression that her daughter is alive somewhere. Is she right? We'll find out as this story goes...**

 **I hope everybody's enjoying their Christmas holidays. Show me some love in the reviews! Love y'all. :D**


	11. Falling To Pieces

**A/n: Thank you so much for the reviews, everybody! :DD**

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

Upon my return to the palace, I got off the horse and strode back to Hyunhui Mansion. I was rapturous because of my encounter with Moongeum just now, but I couldn't let it show on my face. Everybody was supposed to be in a gloomy mood in response to the King's frail health. Even if I did not care about His Majesty, I still had to fit in. Just as Moongeum also had to show up at Gameob Temple to make her cover a convincing one.

I was in a very good mood deep inside, but apparently there was this noblewoman who was _not_ at all in a good mood and she did not hesitate to show it. I could hear her loudly reprimanding someone. I followed the source of her sharp and fierce voice and found myself approaching a young lady, perhaps only a year or so older than Hyeong. It was funny that her hanbok was of a bright folly color, because there was no way she could be taken for a fool. How was it that a woman could look so elegant and beautiful even when she was irked and huffing at her inferiors? I stepped closer in amusement and observed her facial features, contorted in ire yet still a complete beauty. Her stare was icy and scary — the maids kneeling at her feet were trembling in fear and kept their heads low. They must have done something _very_ wrong.

The way she stood had contributed greatly to how intimidating she came off as. She stood proud, stretching herself to her full height, although she still didn't feel tall to me. But then again, hardly anybody felt tall to me. Even among men, I stood at 6' 2". Moongeum was a long-legged beauty on the other hand.

Now this noblewoman in my sight. Her hair was not flowing like Moongeum's, nor as long, but that was when I noticed the small tiara resting on her head. Surely, she had to be a Princess. Nobody else would have the right to wear a tiara.

One of the tearful maids begged for mercy, trying to clutch the hem of Her Highness' hanbok. That move did not do the maid any favors. Instead, the Princess flared up and struck the maid across the face. The other maid gasped and was so frightened that she was crying. It was too violent a jerk that caused Her Highness' bracelet to break — the beads, a combination of bistre brown and begonia colors, shattered all around the floor. The Princess rolled her eyes and huffed whilst the maids panicked and began to frantically pick up all of the beads, whilst remaining on their knees. It was no easy job as the beads were rolling further and further away as if they were disobedient and rebellious children scuttling away from their guardians.

"Your Highness," I bowed and stepped forward before she could make more remarks about those poor maids she'd already deemed incompetent.

She noticed me now, and eyed me haughtily even though I didn't do anything wrong. Well, well. She was above everyone after all.

"And who might you be?" She demanded. It looked like her displeasure was not about to be dispelled or erased quickly, although to invoke her fury would be dangerously easy.

"My name is An Geolha, my Princess," I answered, although my name mattered less and my identity and status mattered more. "I am the eldest son of Lord An Yunwoo and Lady Choi."

"Lord Geolha," she uttered, more to herself than addressing me, as if she found the need — or the value in — remembering my name. "You're from the An family. You live at Court then."

"Yes, Your Highness," I nodded. "At Hyunhui Mansion."

In her eyes I saw approval and satisfaction. It was really as if she smiled, if that was even possible since she was in fuming rage just now. She said to me calmly, "I think I saw your lady sister the other day, when the other noblewomen and I were making lanterns for the upcoming exorcism ritual. But I don't think your wives were there, Lord Geolha."

"Ah, yes indeed, my Princess. It's because my _wife_ ," I explained, specifying that I only had one wife even though for some reason Her Highness might have expected me to have more, but honestly one was more than enough, especially if it wasn't Moongeum. "Lady Nangyung, passed away recently."

"My condolences, Lord Geolha," she said politely yet stoically. It was one thing for her to say it and another for her to mean it. After all, Nangyung didn't mean anything to me. She shouldn't mean anything to the Princess. "Aside from your lord father's position in the King's council, you are among the Crown Prince's consultants, correct?"

"That is correct, Your Highness."

Her smile was less reluctant now, but no less formal. "I see. It was nice to meet you, Lord Geolha."

"It is my honor to be in your presence, my Princess," I bowed and she took her leave, her maids finally daring to get back on their feet to follow her timidly, the beads of her bracelet in their hands.

I was about to head home too, but once I turned on my heel I realized I had inadvertently kicked something. I crouched and found that it was one of the bistre beads from Her Highness' bracelet, a remnant that must have escaped her maids' notice. I picked it up and sighed. Surely the maids would be admonished once more for this mistake. But it seemed stupid for me to deliberately drop by Yeondeok Palace to return a missing part of an accessory. At the same time it also seemed like a bad idea to ask a maid at home to return this while running errands around Court — I heard that both Lady Hae Soo and her maid got penalized for that as it created a misunderstanding. Again it was Princess Yeonhwa who warranted the punishment. She seemed quite punitive, which made me wonder why she asked for an intellectual equal as her husband, as Crown Prince Mu had told me previously. Was it wise to be so unforgiving and vindictive?

I also remembered that His Highness had mentioned that he was about to recommend me to King Taejo as a suitor of the Princess'. It felt bizarre to me, even though in terms of social standing I would not make a poor match. But I'd already had a wife that I did not like. Even if I were really chosen, among the Princess' other suitors, her cruelty and temperament, as I had just observed, made me realize that she was the last woman in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.

* * *

~Jung's POV~

It was evening when I left Hyunhui Mansion. On my way home, I ran into my 4th brother So. He didn't seem to notice me or pay attention to any passersby (as they had all fearfully dodged him) but I approached him anyway.

"Brother, are you feeling well?" I asked.

Did I catch him off guard? He looked a bit surprised. "Why wouldn't I be feeling well, Jung-ah?"

"It's just...we hardly ever see you around. And you seldom show up for rehearsals for the exorcism ceremony," I explained.

"I'm fine," he said curtly and was about to leave. I didn't think he was very good at having conversations but there was something I needed to say to him.

"Wait," I said. "About how Mother and our brother Yo acted toward you a few days ago...I'm really sorry about that."

He remained emotionless. "It's nothing."

"It's not to me. They shouldn't have spoken to you like that. You may have spent a lot of time away from us, but you're still part of our family, and that's no way to treat a family member," I asserted.

He smiled faintly at me. "It's good to see that at least _you're_ not taking after them. But you don't have to be kind to me. I'm more used to it when people _aren't_ nice to me."

That was actually quite sad. I felt so bad for him. "We're brothers. Of course I want to be on good terms with you and make you feel welcomed here," I said apologetically.

"But I'm _not_ welcomed here, isn't that right?" He said acidly.

"Well...it's just...you've been away for a long time. I guess people just need to take time to accept you," I replied. "But they better get used to it, right? Because you're planning to stay, aren't you?"

He was much less reluctant to smile now. Confidently, he declared, "of course I'm staying. I am a Prince of Goryeo. Songak shall be my home."

"Then welcome home, brother," I smiled and patted him on the back.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

Finally today was the day. I was about to go on a date with the 3rd Prince Yo and I hadn't ever even dreamed of it.

"Woljin!" I gushed. "I'm so excited! But I'm also really nervous at the same time." The butterflies in my stomach prevented me from sitting still in front of my vanity mirror, which made it difficult for Woljin to style my hair.

"I can see why you'd feel that way, my Lady. But you needn't worry. Everything will be fine," Woljin said sweetly. "There, you're all set. Are you ready?"

I nodded. We went downstairs and already saw Prince Yo entering through the front gate. As usual he walked in the middle, with a distinct swagger that showed off how manly and confident he was, followed by a handful of servants. His sight landed on me very soon, and didn't leave me ever since. A tingling sensation took over my skin when he set his eyes on me.

I noticed that he had a basket in his hand, so I guessed that meant we would be having a picnic. I bowed at him and so did Woljin but she quickly returned inside.

"I'm so happy to see you, Your Highness," I grinned and the words had escaped my mouth before I knew it. I wasn't sure if I should have said it at all. What if I was taking this date much more seriously than he was? He probably thought it's nothing, but for some reason it meant a lot to me.

"I'm equally delighted, Lady Hyeong," he replied, genuinely sharing the sentiments. "But I'm sorry to let you know that the suspense is no more. I found out what your name is already."

I wasn't too disappointed. "How come, Your Highness?" I asked, and decided to tease. "Is it because you don't think you can overcome this challenge, and resorted to asking Lady Sinye for it instead?"

"I wouldn't give up that easily," he laughed. "I didn't mean to, actually. I learned it by accident. I was with my brothers yesterday afternoon, and we rehearsed for the upcoming exorcism rite. I heard my 9th brother Won chatting about you. I didn't know it was you at first, but when he mentioned that you were the lady standing at his door when we went to Okrin Palace to visit him and his family..."

"I see," I giggled. "It was Prince Won that gave it away then."

"Well, he didn't know about us," Prince Yo replied. "But still...Lady Hyeong, if you don't want this date with me anymore, it's fine."

"No," I said immediately. Too quickly, actually. I chuckled tensely. "I mean, Your Highness has already brought the food and you're here already, so, I figured, why waste it?" I added right away and eyed his basket.

"Hmm, I guess my Lady is merely here for the food and not for my company, then," he tooted playfully, looking away.

"You just like to tease me, don't you, Your Highness?" I pouted and placed my hands on my hips.

He chortled. "Last time I did that, it made you smile. I just thought it'd be nice to see you smile, my Lady, and there's little I wouldn't do to make you smile. After all, you are a beauty."

 _That_ made me smile. "Thank you, Your Highness," I beamed. "And I do like being around Your Highness. The food is just a bonus, I assure you."

"In that case, the view of Songak from the peak would be an even more enticing bonus. It'll be a bit of a walk, but it'll be worth it," he said.

* * *

 **A/n: Geolha definitely doesn't like Yeonhwa, and frankly few of us do, but she seems to have taken an interest in him. What is to become of them? :D**

 **P.S. I thought it'd be great to show that Jung does accept So. I already made Yo be mean to So in the previous chapter so here's some love for So. Now it's your turn to show me some love in the reviews below! Haha. :D**


	12. Jump Then Fall

**A/n: Happy new year! Hope 2017 will be great for y'all! Thank you so much for the reviews everybody! :D**

* * *

 **(The Peak, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

It was a long walk, but the 3rd Prince Yo and I chatted a lot on the way and the trip wasn't tiring at all. And His Highness was right. The view of Songak from so high up was truly stunning. We ate up all of the fruits and snacks that his servants had prepared for our wonderful picnic.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Your Highness. I'm having such a nice time," I said demurely. "I do like the view very much. It's refreshing."

"Me too," he said warmly. "Especially when I have someone to share the view with. I've always wanted to share this with someone. Not a lot of nice things in life can be shared."

That had surprised me. I had rather thought — or assumed — that he had shared this view with plenty others before I came along and into his life. It was just so hard for me to believe that I was the first.

"Why haven't you then?" I felt compelled to ask. "I really thought that you'd have brought Lady Moongong or Lady Sinye here before."

He shrugged. "I've never felt the need to be romantic with them."

It didn't even occur to me that it might be interesting to query after why that was the case. I was more invested in something else, so I asked, "but you feel the need to be romantic with me?"

"Of course. How else am I supposed to charm you as much as you've charmed me then?" He replied smoothly and naturally. I really didn't have the intention of attracting his affections but I was too flattered to tell him that, especially when he was giving me such an inviting smile. "So tell me something that you like, Hyeong."

"Sure. I like chess, actually," I said smartly, having recalled what information about Prince Yo that I had collected from Prince Jung. It wasn't a lie; I did like chess but I just thought it would do me more good to mention it than just keep it to myself. And I could've mentioned other things that I like, like jewels and accessories and flowers, but that wouldn't resonate much with His Highness.

"Chess? Intriguing. I like it very much too. We must play a round someday," he suggested. "Who taught you to play chess? Your father?"

"My mother, actually," I answered. "And what about you, Your Highness? Was Queen Yu the one who taught you? Or was it the King himself?"

"No, it was my uncle, Wang Shikryeom," he revealed. "Technically he's my father's cousin, but we call him Uncle Shikryeom anyway. I'm particularly close to him because he's taught me a lot of things, including chess and politics, which...aren't really that different."

"Well, I'm a lady, so naturally I know nothing about politics, but I do know a bit about chess and I'd be happy to play a round with you, Your Highness," I said happily as it meant that he might visit or invite me to his residence for a game of chess. It would give us a reason to meet again and what wouldn't I give to make that happen!

"Only if you're prepared to lose," he said jokingly, but I decided to feign offense for fun.

"I said I like confident men, not arrogant men. There is a fine line between the two and I'm afraid Your Highness has crossed it," I folded my arms and looked away, turning my back to him.

"Have I now?" He guffawed breezily. I could only see him from my peripheral vision but rather it was his approaching presence, when he leaned in, that made me turn back around and drop my facade. He was so near me now, and made it difficult for me to breathe or speak.

"You smell nice, Hyeong," he commented gently. I suppose he wouldn't have noticed my perfume had it not been for our proximity. The tangential jump in topic took me off guard. I relaxed a little when he reclined, but then I also liked it better when he was closer to me. "But do tell me, why do you like a confident man?"

"Well, I've never really thought about the reasons, but I guess it's because you strive and succeed on your own, and that attitude inspires support from the people around you. It shows leadership and positive thinking, it's charismatic, so it draws me to you," I mused.

"That's funny. I was just wondering why you like confidence in a man, in any man, but you made descriptions of _me_ instead," he remarked. "Are you sure you really like confidence or is it just me that you like?"

I chuckled slightly. "Your Highness will never quit teasing me."

"No, not when you're enjoying it so much. You might not like to admit it, but I know deep down inside it's what enthralls you," he said, and swiftly had exposed my feelings. "On the contrary I think you would be quite vexed if I stopped."

"Next time I see you, I ought to run from you," I blushed, _again_. But who was I kidding? I would probably want to run toward him rather than away from him, given how attracted to him I was.

"Only because you want me to run after you and chase you," he replied playfully. "Eventually I'll catch you."

"How can you be so sure of that?" I decided to question him, just to see if that would do anything to shake his confidence.

"For starters, you're already thinking about the next time we see each other," he pointed out. And he was right.

"Hmm, but I shan't let you catch me," I laughed defiantly.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" He smirked.

We were hoping to wait till the hour of sunset as I bet the view would be spectacular. But we didn't get the chance to do that as the sky turned grey quite quickly and thick clouds were forming. Fearing that it would rain soon, we had to be on our way.

"Do you think we'll be able to get back in time?" I asked him worriedly.

"We should be able to make it," he replied. "But only if we take the shortcut."

"There's a shortcut?" I asked incredulously. "Why didn't we take it when we went all the way up here?"

"Well, I wanted to have more of your time to myself," he said shamelessly.

"At the cost of my sore legs?" I huffed.

"You can ask your handmaiden to give you a massage once we get you home," he suggested.

"At the cost of Woljin's sore arms?" I raised my eyebrows. "That's even less acceptable."

"Come on," he laughed. "The shortcut is just ahead."

"What a relief," I said sardonically, but deep inside I did actually find it a pity that our date was cut short.

"We're almost there. But, here's the catch," he said sneakily.

I eyed him dubiously. "Should I be worried?"

"Of course not. I'm here with you. Why would you ever have anything to worry about?" He replied smoothly. "Just that the shortcut is slightly dangerous. There's no concrete path and at a point you'll have to jump. It's tricky, but not insurmountable."

"What?!" I gaped at him, but didn't dare stop in my tracks because we were truly in a hurry. I was really beginning to feel occasional raindrops on my head and on my face.

"It's here. We'll have to jump here," he pointed.

I looked down and found that the fall was probably four meters. A rough guess. I gulped. "Well, I see why we didn't take this shortcut up now." Because there was no way up. One could only jump from here but not climb up.

"Yes. It doesn't look safe, I know, but it saves time. I'm going to go first so I can catch you if you fall, alright?" He offered.

"No. There's no way I'm doing it. Let's just go back and take the other route. Please, Prince Yo," I begged.

"Hyeong-ah, we don't have time for that," he stated, shaking his head. "Even that path will be dangerous anyway, once the rain begins to pour and we're both drenched."

He was right. I looked very reluctant and my palms were sweating so much in my curled fists, but I had to agree anyway. So he did the jump — a perfect execution — and landed flawlessly and effortlessly, as if his body was built for jumps like these. Speaking of his body, he was really fit. He was quite tall, and his arms were muscular and strong. He posed, and was ready to catch me in case anything went wrong, because obviously I wouldn't be able to land as beautifully as he did. Even if I'd fall clumsily, it wouldn't be on the cold hard ground; it'd be into his arms. That thought was incredibly reassuring.

"Hyeong, you can gaze at me adoringly later. Jump first," he urged.

I chewed on my lip nervously and wiped my sweaty palms on my sleeves. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and jumped.

When I reopened my eyes, I was in his arms. They were really strong and didn't fail me. He had one arm behind my back and my legs were hooked over his other arm.

Thank goodness I didn't fall to my death. I exhaled loudly in immense relief yet my heart was still racing, and I reckoned it wasn't solely because I had just done something so unbelievably dangerous. It was more because I was gazing at his handsome face from such a close distance. He was so good-looking, I was wowed. Just staring at his angular face and his sharp, chiseled jawline was very calming and soothing, yet at the same time it made my heart thump and pound loudly and quickly in my chest. Although my heart was beating fast, time seemed to slow down. It didn't even occur to me that he didn't even think it was a big deal and he kept walking while I was still in his arms and clinging to him as if holding on for dear life.

"Just let me know when you want me to put you down," he wriggled his eyebrows at me.

"Ah, I don't mean to make you carry me for a long distance. You can put me down now," I squeaked.

"Are you sure you want that?" He asked, but no doubt he knew the answer already.

I smiled demurely and held on tighter to him, entwining my hands behind his neck. "I think this is where I like to be."

"If you wanted to be in my arms, Hyeong-ah, you could've just asked," he stated.

"But it's nicer when you offer," I cooed.

"I'll certainly take note of that," he smiled.

"Why? You like having a woman in your arms? You have two wives," I pointed out.

" _You're_ the one I'm going on a date with and _you're_ the one in my arms right now...and you want to talk about my wives?" He said skeptically. "I'd much rather talk about you. Us." And we would've talked about it had it not been for the rain that was really getting heavier. It couldn't soak us yet but still we had to make haste.

Once we got to the bottom of the mountain he did put me down and we returned to the palace. He insisted on walking me back to Hyunhui Mansion. "I can't leave a lady on her own, especially not in this weather. A Prince must be more courteous than that."

"If you want to stay for dinner, it's fine as well. My family would be honored to have you," I offered.

"As much as I would like to meet your family, it'll have to wait. Tonight, Moongong is preparing my favorite dish, and Sinye made soup."

"Right, your beautiful wives that you refuse to talk about," I replied.

"Because it's complicated," he told me. And his tone was serious.

"Alright," I said. Maybe he just didn't want to explain. "What _is_ your favorite dish, anyway?"

"Sweet and sour striped bass," he smiled boyishly.

"That's nice! But it's mostly because of who's cooking it...right?" I asked, but he didn't answer. We'd reached my place now, and I figured I shouldn't keep him any longer because I feared he might not be back to get back to his place in time. The drizzle was about to become a lot more unforgiving and I just had a hunch that a storm was on its way.

Woljin came out to receive me and she had an umbrella in hand. I decided to give it to Prince Yo instead as surely he'd need it. He took it, and I was hoping it'd give me an excuse to stop by his residence again and therefore get to see him. There were so many things we wanted to talk about during today's date but we didn't get to. We certainly needed a next date. He seemed genuinely interested in me, and there was so much more about him that I was yet to discover, especially his complex relationships with his wives. Of course I couldn't forget the feeling of being in his arms, and every time I thought of that I knew I needed to see him again.

* * *

 **A/n: Anyone else looking forward to them seeing each other again? Hope you guys liked their date! Be sure to leave a review for me! :P**

 **P.S. The evil Queen is making an appearance in the next chapter. Beware! :O**


	13. Contrariety

**(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

When I got up in the morning the rain had stopped. I thought I could just take a stroll in the palace, perhaps a turn in the gardens, since today Crown Prince Mu would be spending the day with his family, so I had time on my hands.

The moment I stepped out of Hyunhui Mansion though, I saw from a distance a procession of about a dozen maids passing by, with boxes and trays of accessories and jewels in their hands. I stared at them blankly and realized that they were walking in the direction of Yeondeok Palace, the residence of the 8th Prince Wook and Princess Yeonhwa. And then my eyes widened as I realized that I was _hoarding_ a component of a precious item that belonged to Princess Yeonhwa. I had better take the chance to return it to her today. Promptly, I brought the bistre brown bead with me and followed the procession.

By the time I got there, Her Highness again had a look of displeasure on her face as she examined the jewelry that was presented to her, although this time she looked more haughty than angry.

"Nothing here really pleases me. Take all of it away," she said dismissively and was about to return to whatever she was doing, indoors.

"I believe Your Highness will be interested in this," I declared loudly and it didn't fail to catch her attention. Once she turned around she saw that between my fingertips was what she was missing. I stepped on the dais and explained how it came into my possession.

She signaled for one of her maids to collect it from me and fix her bracelet. There was no 'thank you', because how could a Princess ever be indebted to me?

Afterward, she motioned for me to have a look at the accessories that were offered to her. "None of these really interests me, no matter how beautiful they look. I still won't pick them, because they can't compare to what I already have and what I like the best," she said, with a smile that seemed to have encrypted her true meaning. "But perhaps my mind can be swayed, if the right person comes along and offers me a new perspective on things, or makes me see the benefit of wearing an accessory that I otherwise wouldn't have looked twice at."

"If Your Highness wishes for me to be that person, I shall gladly oblige," I replied and glanced at the items on the trays. They were all indeed quite beautiful, but one that would suit a Princess...that was not an easy choice. It was not just about the design but also the color. Bisque, for instance, might not match Her Highness' skin tone very well.

"How about this one?" I made up my mind and didn't take too long. I pointed at an azure bracelet, _not_ made up of numerous beads this time. "It looks like something my lady sister would have liked. The color would look good on her, and it doesn't look good on just anyone," I added deliberately. I knew that saying this would not make the Princess very happy, but that was the point. She was probably expecting me to say something more flattering, but I was not about to praise her as I did not find any admirable qualities in her. I chose to say something unwise so that she would not consider me her intellectual equal and therefore she wouldn't pick me from her suitors. After witnessing how cruel she could be to her servants, and how temperamental, and now how picky, the prospect of becoming her husband was less and less appealing to me, and I really hoped that Prince Mu would not recommend me to King Taejo. If necessary, I'd even use Nangyung as an excuse and claim that I was not over her death yet so that I could get out of a second marriage that was no less desirable than the first.

As expected, she did not look impressed. "Take it home and give it to your sister then," she said lazily.

I smiled wryly. "Your Highness, I'm afraid I cannot accept that. It's too much. Hyeong has done nothing to earn it."

"Chaeryung," she ignored me and spoke to one of the maids behind her instead. "Take this to Lady Hyeong in Hyunhui Mansion. The rest of you, away."

As the lot of them went off to do as they were told, Princess Yeonhwa turned to me and eyed me condescendingly. "You don't think I can see through that?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, my Princess," I said monotonously.

"You're an unabashed liar," she commented, but did not mean to reprimand me. "Whenever people try to flatter or compliment me, it's usually easy to guess what they want. But you didn't do anything of that sort. In fact you're trying to insult me, implicitly and within the bounds of etiquette. That takes intelligence," she explained, and I believed my plan had backfired. "You do want something from me. Everyone does."

"With all due respect, Your Highness, that just doesn't apply to me. I know what I want and it's certainly not something you can dole to me, not even given your status and power as a Princess," I replied, thinking of Moongeum.

"Status and power," she stated. "Is that not something you want too?"

"No, my Princess. It is not worth dying for," I expressed plainly.

"Then what is?" She questioned. It appeared my beliefs were contradicting hers, and she might not like being challenged. "What would you give up your life for, Lord Geolha?"

I answered after a short pause. "Love."

She shook her head. "Then you are a fool, An Geolha. A fool of the worst kind. Completely hopeless and irredeemable." She sneered at me, but remained dignified and elegant to conceal her fury. I wasn't sure why she felt the need to do so, as she sure didn't mask her wrath last time.

I wasn't affected by her snide remarks though. "To me, making sacrifices to gain power and status is just as foolish, if not even more so."

"I don't do it to gain power or status; I just want to keep what I have, earn glory for my clan, and stay alive. To defend those I care about and deliver my retribution to those who have wronged me and made me suffer," she clarified impassionedly. But then she shut her mouth abruptly. Her lips, tightly sewn together, quivered. She seemed to have realized that she shouldn't have said that. After all, I didn't even say that she was the one who was making foolish sacrifices, but she seemed to think right away that it was her I was criticizing. She cared too much about what I said, which was not good as I just wanted to stay away from her, so I decided to say something that would make me sound stupider, so that she'd just send me away and never speak to me again.

"You're a Princess though. Who would dare wrong you and make you suffer?" I asked, feigning naivety.

"Too many," she simply said. "And nobody can protect me. It's up to me."

"Not even your future husband?"

"I don't look for protection in him. I look for value and benefit in a marriage. I like to be pragmatic," she claimed.

"In that case, I wish Your Highness the best of luck in search of a husband who can bring you what you want," I said perfunctorily. "Now that my work here is done, I shall return to my residence. Good day, Princess."

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~So's POV~

I was on the way to Heunghwa Palace to meet with the Crown Prince when I crossed paths with my 3rd brother Yo. I didn't falter or turn back to avoid his barbs. I wasn't afraid, just annoyed.

"On your way to feed on your prey, wolf dog?" He taunted and deliberately bumped his shoulder into mine. "We use chopsticks here at Songak."

"Wow. I never knew. How illuminating," I scowled. These jokes were getting old and had lost their effect on me. I used to get pissed off at it, but lately, I just couldn't be bothered. "Just get out of the way."

"In a hurry?" He questioned. "Who could possibly be eager to see you, though?"

"And where are you on your way to? Who would ever want to see you?" I shot back.

"My mother, the Queen," he revealed proudly, and sneered at me. It was the kind of pride that he could only have because he had his mother's love, the kind of pride I aspired to have, but probably could never.

I gritted my teeth and glowered at him. I'd let him get away with making fun of me because of my face, but he'd bring up our mother...it had made me incredibly jealous and angry. I wanted so badly to be welcomed at our mother's residence as he and my 14th brother Jung were. But I didn't think I'd ever be accepted.

"Why the long face? Glare at me all you want, wolf dog. I know you're jealous that you can never be on my level," he said pompously. "If I were you, I'd just run along and play with my own kind."

"Then I thank the heavens you're not me," I scoffed and pushed past him to get to where I needed to be.

* * *

 **(Naklang Palace, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

This morning I had taken the time to visit my mother, Queen Yu, as promised. I ran into the wolf dog on my way and, as we needed him gone, I made sure to make fun of him and make him feel bad so that he wouldn't want to stay at Court for longer than necessary. Of course he was jealous that Jung-ie and I had our mother's love. But what could I do? He wasn't worthy of it.

I was about to report to my mother on a few things as well, one of them being our plans for assassinating the Crown Prince during the exorcism rite. We needed Mu out of the way in order for me to stake my claim on the throne. As my mother had financed the construction of a temple outside of Songak, the monks there would be working for us. I believed they'd be of service regarding this attempt on Crown Prince Mu's life.

She then shared her thoughts with me but I wasn't really listening because I was preoccupied with thinking about the events yesterday. The sweet and sour striped bass was lovely, and so was the spinach soup, but that wasn't the highlight of the day. I was hung up on Hyeong. The delicate fingers of her small hands crossed behind my neck that marked a moment of complete trust in me. The innocent, yet at times mischievous, look in her pretty eyes that was so unfeigned and precious. The slight pout of her mouth when I teased her, which I liked to do. And most importantly, her smile. I'd just get a warm, delightful feeling when she smiled. Like the world was better. It made me want to reach out and gently tilt her chin upward and then —

"Yo-ya," Mother scolded, but not harshly. "It's important that we stay focused. Where have your thoughts gone?"

I concealed my own smile by taking a sip from my cup of tea. "I was just thinking about my kids," I lied. I didn't really think of lying as 'good' or 'bad' as so many people liked to categorize or define. I just thought of it as a necessity at times. In this case, I didn't think Mother would like to see that my thoughts were not undividedly for our important plans regarding the exorcism ceremony, especially for a girl that wouldn't yield any benefits to actualizing our ambitions to place me on the throne. Mother would not be interested in hearing about it, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

"Lady Moongong will bring them to visit me later, right?" asked Mother.

"Yes, that's correct," I replied. "Woongdo has grown a lot taller. Younggi has not been giving her mother an easy time, but we love her all the same."

"It's perfect that you have one son and one daughter. It's enough. It's not advisable to have more," she said seriously. "You only need a son to be your heir and a daughter to be sent to a foreign power for a political marriage and diplomatic peace. Any additional children would just bring about succession crises."

I thought about it. If my royal father, King Taejo, had only had Prince Mu and Princess Chuja, the former become the next ruler of Goryeo and the latter married off to Khitan, all of my younger siblings and I were 'unnecessary', and we would indeed only pose as competition or a threat to the Crown Prince's supposed inheritance. I was not the only one among my brothers to vie for the throne, I knew, but I also knew that I was most deserving of it, especially in terms of my savvy and how much support Mother and I had been garnering.

"You're right, Mother," I said deferentially.

"And your two children should be raised to know very well what is expected of them," she added. By that, she meant that they were pawns in politics. The sooner they'd learn this and accept that this, for them, would be the reality, the better.

"I understand, Mother."

"It's a bright future to think of, Yo-ya. Once you are King, Woongdo will be invested the Crown Prince, and Younggi will be a royal Princess whose status will surely be above the pesky Hwangbo Yeonhwa," she said, at first sounding pleased and tempted, but her tone turned sour toward the end. The Hwangbo clan was a great obstruction for us. They were just as powerful as Mother's family, the Yu clan, and they also had my 8th brother Wook and sister Yeonhwa as their pawns.

Additionally, Mother and Queen Hwangbo were sworn enemies. Although Wook and I didn't make this rivalry personal, Yeonhwa certainly did, even if she wouldn't openly disrespect me, her elder brother.

Similarly, Mother took every chance to humiliate not just Queen Hwangbo but also a lot of other royal concubines. She needed to make sure the others recognized her as the woman who held the most influential position in Songak and in the King's heart. But then because the King doted on the only daughter he had by his side, she was even more hated by Mother. It wasn't helped by the fact that Yeonhwa was politically adroit and ambitious as well. Whereas Mother wanted to get rid of Yeonhwa, I held a different view. It would be damaging, and a waste of resources, for both the Yu and Hwangbo clans if we were constantly trying to take down the other. But if we were to join houses and combine forces, we would be invincible. As such, I was considering the option that I could marry Yeonhwa instead.

Our discussion was halted when her maid entered the room to inform us that Moongong was here with our children. We were going to have lunch together. It would be safer for Moongong and the kids to remain unbeknownst to our treasonous schemes, so we put those thoughts away and invited them into the chambers.

* * *

 **A/n: I've had fun writing about the different views and opinions each character has and what their priorities in life are. I thought it would be important to establish their mindsets so that their actions and decisions will make sense later on. I hope that you enjoyed reading about them too.**

 **P.S. Readers, do you agree with Yeonhwa that Geolha is foolish for putting love first? If you could only have either power or love, which one would you choose and why? Share your thoughts with me in the reviews below. :D**


	14. Birthday

**A/n: A big thank you to all of you precious readers. I appreciate every review. :D**

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

My mother had dressed me in quite a flamboyant manner today. All because it was my birthday. I was turning 16, and was to be treated like the special lady that I was, she said.

Just as I was ready to exit my chambers, Woljin entered the room. "My Lady," she said gently. "The 14th Prince Jung is already here."

"So early!" I commented, and went downstairs hurriedly.

"Hyeong-ah!" The 14th Prince marched up to me once he saw me.

"Good morning, Your Highness," I said delicately and genteelly, since I was supposed to be older now and more ladylike, although I was very delighted and excited. "You're very early today."

"Yes, that's because today's your birthday and a special occasion," he remarked. "That's why I came over extra early to celebrate it with you. If you'll have me, of course."

"Of course I'll have you, my Prince," I grinned.

"I even have a present for you," he said exultantly. "Here." He handed a jewelry box to me. It was of a deep mahogany color, and at first glance it had 3 levels, but when they were opened, the hidden capacities showed themselves.

"Oh, it's so thoughtful of you, Prince Jung," I beamed. "Thank you so much."

"I hope you like it," he said merrily. He didn't have the kind of outward confidence that his 3rd brother would have walked around with. If Prince Yo were here he'd be all "I knew you'd love it" with a sassy tone. But Jung was so sweet and a great friend. And such good company too, always a source of joy and cheer.

"I like it very much!" I gushed. "Like many other noblewomen I've got jewelry a plenty, but rarely do people think of a jewelry box as a cuter alternative. This is equally lovable, and I love it!"

He looked incredibly pleased with himself. "I'm just happy that you're happy, Hyeong."

"With Your Highness around, I wouldn't be anything but happy," I smiled.

"But tell me this, Hyeong, am I the first to send you birthday gifts this year?" He inquired, tightening his lips to ensconce what could've been a pompous smile.

"Well...it would've been you, if I exclude the bracelet that your royal sister had sent yesterday. I'm not sure Her Highness is aware that it's my birthday though," I answered.

"Ah, I didn't know that you and Yeonhwa were friends too," he replied. "If anyone beat me to it, I'd have thought that it would be my 9th brother Won. We all know you're best friends with him."

The Princess and I were not friends actually, and I wasn't even sure if she remembered my name, but I didn't correct him, because then I'd have to explain Geolha's encounter with Her Highness, and that was way too complicated. Instead, I said, "Woljin told me that Prince Won and his wives have also sent their wishes and regards, and left the message that they will come over at a later hour. It must be because it's getting colder, and I'm sure Beom and Bon would not like to get out of bed just yet."

"We all spoil our two youngest nephews," he smiled. "Though it's still hard for me to believe that my 9th brother is a father now. It's been months, but still. He doesn't feel like the type to have children. He feels like the type to have many wives but no children."

"But what about you, Your Highness? Are you going to have many wives but no children? Or not many wives but a lot of children? Or many wives and many children? Or few —"

"Whoa, whoa," he was overwhelmed and had to stop me. "I really have no clue. I haven't been thinking about it. Not a lot of my brothers are married, so I don't think I have to give it much thought so soon. Most likely my mother will make these plans for me. It's important that I marry someone that she is in favor of."

Ah, yes, the formidable Queen of the Yu clan from Chungju. She did not have a reputation for being very likable, but she certainly was a powerful and influential figure at Court, and few of us could afford to not be subservient to her.

"Or maybe your father the King's Majesty will give his blessing for you to be married to a noblewoman of his choice," I suggested. "After all, the royal family is always in need of alliances with other aristocratic families."

"That's right. And now that you're 16, I do suppose your parents will be setting up for you to get married soon, right?"

"Yes, but there's no hurry. I know they'll be meticulous in choosing a husband for me," I replied.

"Hyeong-ah! Sister!" Geolsang's voice was loud and bright as he jogged down the stairs. When he approached us he noticed the jewelry box in my hand and said, "Do you like this? It would be a relief if you do, because Prince Jung has been worrying day and night about it and asking me if you'd want this for your birthday. His Highness has asked me this at least a dozen times. He needs to make very sure he's getting this right. Because he thinks it'll be a catastrophe if you reject his present."

"Hey!" Jung admonished, smacking my brother's shoulder. "I teach you so many things about martial arts and you betray me."

"I'm just telling the truth as it is," Geolsang said casually, shrugging.

"It's only a disaster because you ruined it," Jung protested. "Every time you're here, you just bring bad luck. I hope we get rid of you as soon as the exorcism ceremony is held." He sounded so serious but both Geolsang and I giggled.

"No matter what gift Your Highness has for me, I'll appreciate it. It's the thought that counts," I said happily. It was just early in the morning but I was already sure today was going to be a good day.

* * *

~Woljin's POV~

I observed how happy Lady Hyeong looked to receive presents. My birthdays would never be celebrated so extravagantly — or celebrated at all — nor would I get to spend it with my family. I wasn't too envious of the luxuries that nobles had, but I did miss my mother and my brother.

Thanks to Lady Hyeong's status as an aristocrat she had drawn the attention of a number of Princes and even made friends with them. Naturally that's something that only a noblewoman can do. A humble maid as myself could not dream of befriending a royal. It was already a blessing that Hyeong treated me as a friend.

Hyeong had more visitors than just the 14th Prince Jung. I suddenly felt elated when I saw that it was the 13th Prince Baekah who had arrived at Hyunhui Mansion. It was only when I also saw Chaeryung's familiar face that I realized that the Hae ladies were also here. Immediately I bowed at them, and then allowed myself to stare at the 13th Prince a little longer than any maid would have.

However, I did not get to stay in his presence much longer, as Lord An and Lady Choi had instructed me to bring refreshments for His Highness and Their Ladyships. I didn't even get to have a look at what Prince Baekah had prepared for Hyeong as a birthday present.

I returned quickly and served tea and some snacks to our guests, hoping I could just get Prince Baekah to notice me. I took my sweet time when I laid out the plates and dishes and cups in front of His Highness on the table. Even just a glance would satisfy me. But I did not have that luxury, as he was focused on chatting with Lady Myunghee. Hyeong was right to say that His Highness cared deeply about Lady Myunghee. It felt weird to think this way, but I kind of wished that the 13th Prince could look at me the way he was looking at Lady Myunghee right now.

I was a little disappointed, but honestly, what could I have expected? A Prince noticing a lowly maid? Not likely.

I looked around the vestibule and found the 14th Prince and Lord Geolsang making jokes on the other side of the room. By the table, Lord An and Lady Choi just looked so proud of their daughter. Hyeong was chatting with Lady Hae Soo, whilst Chaeryung was waiting patiently in a corner. I approached my friend then. But it wasn't long into our quiet conversation that more guests have arrived. This time, it was the 9th Prince Won and his wives and their sons.

As I saw their family with Hyeong all the time, I was accustomed to this sight and I might say I was even bored by it. I thought I could resume my conversation with Chaeryung. Yet, she seemed distracted, and only grunted when I tried to talk to her. I then noticed that her sight was on the 9th Prince, and she looked captivated.

This was not the first time I had caught her like this. Perhaps her feelings for Prince Won were somewhat similar to mine for Prince Baekah. After all, Chaeryung did get assigned to serve in the 9th Prince Won's household for a short while before she got transferred to the 8th Prince Wook's household. Or maybe it wasn't admiration or affection. It could just be gratitude that she had for Prince Won. Or perhaps a mix of both. Feelings could never be that simple, right?

Sometimes I did wonder if Chaeryung wanted to swap places with me. She could be Hyeong's handmaiden whilst I could serve the Hae ladies. This way, she'd get to see the 9th Prince so much more often, whereas I could see the 13th Prince a lot as well. But I smiled subtly to myself and pushed that silly thought away. My place was here in Hyunhui Mansion and I was content here. Hyeong treated me very well and I had no complaints. I ought to do my job well and earn money for my mother and my brother. That was pretty much all that my life would be about.

* * *

~Hyeong's POV~

Finally, Prince Won and his family had arrived. Lady Kang and Lady Kim very heartily wished me a happy birthday, and even their sons had learned to clap and wave their hands. Their Ladyships handmaidens had handed to me, in boxes, the accessories that were my birthday presents. I smiled instantly and thanked them, and invited them inside for food and drinks whilst Won and I chatted.

"What is it with you? My wives aren't even half as thrilled when it's _my_ birthday. Did you bribe them or blackmail them?" Won joked.

"Both, actually. How else would I get them to be in such good spirits?" I replied without missing a beat. "It works like a charm."

"Won't work on me though," he declared.

"I don't need to make you feign exhilaration. I know you're very excited and happy for me deep inside. You don't need to tuck it away with a poker face. Just let it show," I said singsong.

He smiled willingly. "You're right, Hyeong. Turning 16 is a big deal and I am indeed very happy for you. Happy birthday." He then pulled me into a hug and I smiled too. Although for so many years we'd refer to each other as best friends, I didn't think we ever really hugged much.

"Thanks for the silver and gold, by the way," I said to him as we pulled apart.

"How did you know I was going to give you that?"

"Are you kidding me? You give me that every year," I rolled my eyes. "It's so uncreative, yet so characteristic of you."

"Yes, you know me best, Hyeong," he said jovially. "How could any gift possibly top mine? Just think of all the things you can do with the gold and silver. Endless possibilities, I tell you."

"Mm hmm," I uttered dully. Won was always like this. I doubted there was anything he loved more than money. It made him a bit boring at times, although of course he didn't think so. But like I said to Jung, I would happily and gracefully accept any gift, and enjoy my special day.

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Won's POV~

We would have stayed longer with Hyeong and her family, but it was again the time of the afternoon for my sons to take their naps, so we took our leave and my wives had returned to Okrin Palace to put the kids to sleep. I on the other hand was free to swing by the library. I had planned to ask the astronomer Choi Jimong to lend me a few books on alchemy and potions.

I saw my 4th brother So at Jimong's library too, but as he seemed to be entirely focused on whatever he was reading, I decided not to disturb him. I did want to figure out what he was all about, but I could do that by inviting him to come over and visit his nephews in a few days' time maybe.

On my way back home from Jimong's library, I passed by Joyun Hall, a small hall just right behind the grand Cheondeok Hall. Normally I wouldn't pay any notice to it, but I happened to see my 3rd brother Yo exiting Joyun Hall. I decided to walk up to him and ask what business he had there since I'd never had a reason to go there before.

"It's just usually where I go when the King had assigned administrative tasks for me to handle. A lot of official records are stored there, and it's quiet so I can work undisturbed," Yo explained.

"You get disturbed a lot at your Gyeongchun Palace?" I asked.

He laughed. "When your sons are as old as Woongdo, you'll see for yourself how noisy they can be. They run around all the time. I can never have a single moment of silence."

"Come over to Okrin Palace then. My sons are sleeping all the time," I offered.

"Sure, I'll see if I can swing by next week," he replied, then smiled and pointed at the books I was carrying. "'Advanced Alchemy', eh?" He read from the cover. "Just last week you were reading 'Introduction to Alchemy'. Brother, you do learn quick."

"I've got nothing better to do. I'm not as fortunate as you. Our father's Majesty hasn't assigned any work for me," I said, with a chuckle. He would be smart enough to pick up on my hint that I would like to get more involved with administrative work, like Yo and Wook got to.

He did get it. He nodded and said, "I'll put in a word for you when His Majesty sends for me again."

"I would be grateful to you for that. You're the only one I can count on, brother. My mother isn't of a high enough ranking to intercede or ask favors," I added. I knew that Yo liked to be praised and reminded of the high status that his mother had. He never made that obvious, but I could tell, judging from how he always looked down on the Crown Prince for his late mother's low status.

"You can count on me. Anyone who exhibits a willingness to learn is someone who will prove to be useful, sooner or later. If I were King, I would give you an important position at Court and entrust you with important tasks."

I raised my eyebrows and said nothing in reply just yet. He did praise me, but weren't his words treasonous?

"But of course, I know I'll never be King. Naturally, it's our eldest brother Mu who'll be King," he added laxly. "Nobody can take his place."

I smiled knowingly. "Of course."

* * *

 **(The library, Pyongso Residence, Songak)**

~So's POV~

I didn't pay my 9th brother much attention just now as I was focused on reading. But once he had left, I casually asked Jimong what Won was like.

Jimong sighed and answered warily. "I'm going to be be very honest with you and tell you what I think of him. Out of all of the Princes who've spent their lives inside the palace, he's the one who's most knowledgeable of the passageways and such, secrets that this Court holds. But he'd never make it obvious. I'd never have known had he not been willing to chat with me because he could benefit from spending time here at my library."

"He knows a lot then," I remarked.

"Perhaps unfortunately, yes, Your Highness. But if you can get close to him, it's possible that you can learn a thing or two from him. I think I've observed that that's what the 8th Prince Wook has been doing as of late," Jimong replied. "The 9th Prince, he's good at pretending that he's oblivious. I don't know if this makes sense, but he'll carefully do minor yet seemingly thoughtless things just to make others believe that he's clumsy. He'd crack a silly joke or say something out of turn then quickly apologize for it, as if it were a careless mistake, but I just feel that he actually knows what he's doing."

"In that case, it'd be _our_ mistake to ever underestimate him," I concluded.

"Indeed, my Prince," Jimong nodded. "You see the 10th Prince Eun and the 14th Prince Jung are younger and truly oblivious. They're innocent, really. Prince Won mingles with them to create the convincing impression that he's just as clueless as they are, but he's actually not. He's crafty. He won't be openly hostile —"

"Like the 3rd Prince Yo," I uttered.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't let your guard down with him, Prince So. If he exhibits a wish to socialize with you, entertain him. Don't shut him out. It's the only way you can get a better idea of what he might have up his sleeve," Jimong advised.

"I see," I replied.

The way Jimong spoke of my 9th brother had reminded me of something that my mentor General Park Sukyung had taught me when I was little. It was more than 10 years ago, but I still remembered it well, and now I thought that even though I hadn't yet been able to put his advice into action, I suspected that somebody had been teaching Won the same thing and he'd been living up to it all along.

" _Always keep your foes confused," said the General seriously, placing a hand on my shoulder. "If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next. Sometimes, my Prince, the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose, or even seem to work against you. Remember that, Prince So, not just when you're on the battlefield, but also when you come to play the game when you shall one day return to Songak."_

" _What...what game, General?" I asked tentatively._

" _The only game, Your Highness. The game of thrones."_

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Did you guys like what Jung got Hyeong for her b-day? More people will come to celebrate it with her. :P**

 **Woljin has a tiny crush on Baekah. What do you guys think of that? Did you like reading in her POV? \^o^/**

 **Also in the drama, Won and Yo did hang around each other a bit. I thought I'd make them bond. There'll be more sibling interactions as we go. XD**

 **Won is a snake as we know it. Luckily So has both Jimong and Gen. Park on his side, right?**

 **Don't forget to let me know what you think of this chapter and review! Cheers! :D**


	15. Ideals

**A/n: May I have your attention please, dearest readers! It has been brought to my attention that since the An family is not royalty, it would be more befitting for their residence to be called a mansion rather than a palace. As such, 'Hyunhui Palace' will now be known as 'Hyunhui Mansion'. That is all. Thanks! \^o^/**

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hae Soo's POV~

Lady Hyeong's birthday party was the first that I had ever been to, since I got here. It reminded me of how I had celebrated my birthdays back then: taking a trip to an amusement park, going on a shopping spree, and karaoke night with balloons and glitter all over the place. Even back then it was my best friend who threw birthday parties for me, every single year. But now when I thought about her betrayal...it really did hurt. I never thought that she would do that to me.

"Thank you so much for the soap you and Myunghee made for me. They're so colorful," said Lady Hyeong to me. "By the way, Lady Soo, you are 16 too, correct? Has your family picked your betrothed for you yet?"

"Not yet. My parents passed away when I was little, so I've been growing up with Myunghee ever since. I don't think it would be a good idea for her to worry about marrying me off, given her diminishing health," I sighed.

"But have you thought about what you would look for in your future husband?" She inquired.

"Yes…" I nodded admitted, but did not reveal that I was once close to marriage, when I was still Hajin and not yet Hae Soo. I had to break off my engagement when I found out that my fiance had been cheating on me. But nobody here in Goryeo needed to know that about me. "I think I would like a husband who has a soft personality, is agreeable, and attentive. It's important that he puts his loved ones first and knows how to look after them. It would be a wonderful bonus if he could be versatile too."

"It sounds as if you're describing a specific person," Hyeong giggled.

"I'm not," I smiled shyly and shook my head. It's not that I didn't want to be honest with her. I was thinking of the 8th Prince Wook all along, but it's not that I was describing him. Rather, he was just fitting my description and meeting my standards. He really was the man of my dreams. All of this, time-traveling to Goryeo, and falling in love with someone as caring and gentlemanly as Prince Wook...it did feel like a dream. "I only know one person who's like that, and said person is already married."

"Married? But how's that a problem?" she asked, almost childishly. My eyes grew a little wider. I almost forgot that although I — or _Hajin_ — would never be able to tolerate polygyny, this was another time period and it was the norm for men to have more than one wife. Right. I needed to keep that in mind.

"I...I shall _hope_ to never have to share my husband," I said breezily. But deep inside I was firm and sure that I would never accept what I considered to be infidelity. I felt like a hypocrite for thinking like that, because of my feelings for Prince Wook, especially since he was married to none other than my very own cousin. Was I falling for the wrong person? Or was the timing just not right?

"I think a lot of us share that ideal. I always look at my parents and think to myself, this is what I want my future to be like. But then, even if my future husband has more than one wife, if I can get along with his other wives, I don't think I would mind it too much. Look at how well Lady Kang and Lady Kim are getting along," said Hyeong. I then understood that to many noblewomen in Goryeo, monogamy was a preference, but in my eyes it was a requirement.

"What about _your_ ideal type, then?" I enquired. It wasn't _just_ that I wanted to get to know Lady Hyeong better. The more that I could blend in by appearing to conform to the morals and values of this era, the better I could keep myself safe.

"My type? Well, I know for sure that I'm attracted to confident men. There's charisma in that, and they can always be honest and straightforward with me. And I think I need someone who's capable of protecting me, because at the end of the day, marriages are alliances and at its core, its purpose is for women to have security," she answered. "I can't deny that I need that."

I stifled another sigh but I really wanted to shut my eyes in disbelief at how utterly different and _backward_ this society's attitudes and beliefs were. Sure, I was a thousand years ahead of them, but it still frustrated me so much. I wasn't sure if I could accept it, but I must, in order to survive.

The good thing was that even though there were differences between our ideals, Lady Hyeong was not shoving her ideas down my throat. It was already suffocating enough that I was in this restrictive society for no particular reason. It was depressing that there were so many strict rules I had to abide by. I was grateful that even in this bleak, dreary mess, I still had the 8th Prince to be my light, I still had Myunghee to take care of me, I still had Chaeryung to support me, I still had the 10th Prince Eun to play with me, the 13th Prince Baekah to teach me many things, and now I thought that it would be nice to be friends with Lady Hyeong.

As we continued chatting, she asked me quietly, "you haven't gotten into any trouble with Princess Yeonhwa lately, have you?"

"Thankfully, no, and neither has Chaeryung," I replied in relief. "I've had to be very, very careful though. It's easy for her to pick on me when I live in the same residence as she does. And she's so domineering," I said sadly. "Why? Have you been her victim recently?" I probably shouldn't speak this way of the sister of the man I love, but she was just so mean and ruthless.

"No, but I'm just concerned about you. I saw how upset it made you last time. I'm glad you stayed out of her way though. And what about the wolf dog? Has he been trying to harass or harm you?" She shuddered.

"He hasn't...so far. But it seems I'm always running into him at Court. I don't know why," I shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's just my bad luck." It could also be him stalking me, which would be creepy, but there's really not much he _wouldn't_ do.

"By the way, Soo-ya, have you ever met and talked to His Majesty the King before?" She asked.

"Yes, in fact, I have. Just a couple of days ago, when Prince Wook brought me and Myunghee to the Damiwon to give the soap we made to Queen Yu and Queen Hwangbo. It was then that the King came into the room," I said.

"My father told me that tomorrow our family would be granted an audience with King Taejo, regarding plans for my marriage. I'm nervous about it. Father said as long as I was polite and ladylike, everything would be fine. Prince Jung told me to relax, and Prince Won wasn't any help at all. But what is His Majesty like? Could you tell me? What do you think?"

"His Majesty does have that demeanor and air to him that makes you fear him. I didn't dare look him in the eye. I was speechless and my voice was so squeaky when I tried to speak. My palms were sweating so much I was surprised I didn't make two puddles on the floor. And then thankfully I was kneeling — I don't think I would have the strength to stand," I recalled, and felt myself tensing up again because the experience was just too nerve-racking. "It really is better to just agree with everything that he says. Only speak when you're spoken to. Otherwise, the wisest thing to do is to stay silent. When you answer his questions, the truth or what you think doesn't even matter that much — tell him what he wants to hear. But don't try to praise him — he'll most probably order you to explain why you think of him so highly, and then you won't know what to say, and then you'll panic and your brain just stops working and you feel like you could die. A very stressful experience. If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to go through it again."

"Oh my goodness…" Hyeong said under her breath. She was at a loss for words and probably stressing out right now. But it was better to be mentally prepared, for I wasn't.

"My Lady," Chaeryung approached me subtly. "We should go home now."

I got what she meant and said to Hyeong, who was still shocked, "It's about time for Myunghee to take her medication for her cough. I think we better return to Yeondeok Palace soon. We'll see each other around then, Hyeong-ah. Enjoy your birthday!"

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Eun's POV~

Today was such a boring day. I couldn't find my 14th brother Jung or my 13th brother Baekah or even my 9th brother Won to play with me. When I swung by their residences, I heard that they were celebrating somebody's birthday. I wasn't acquainted with the birthday girl. That meant my brothers were there in Hyunhui Mansion having fun, _without_ me. If that's not the cruelest thing they could do to me…

I was utterly bored and I really could not stand it. I knew that my eldest brother Mu, my 3rd brother Yo, and my 8th brother Wook were probably busy with something our father the King must have assigned to them, since they were more skilled at dealing with the government, which was no fun and certainly not something I would want to do. But then it was probably not a good idea then for me to pester them. And honestly, even if my 4th brother So was available, I was still a little frightened by him. The last time he walked by in front of me, I almost couldn't breathe. I wasn't sure if I could survive approaching him on my own.

The worst thing was that even Hae Soo was with the An family. I was truly all alone.

Or maybe not. I saw my sister Yeonhwa about a hundred steps ahead, with a few maids following her as usual, but she did not see me as she was not facing my direction. Normally she was not the one who would entertain me. At least we hadn't been playmates in a decade now, but I was going to try anyway.

"Yeonhwa! Yeonhwa!" I yelled excitedly as I bolted toward her. Standing right behind her, I covered her eyes with my palms. "Guess who!"

"Who else would shout so loudly in the palace and still be able to get away with it?" She reprimanded sharply. Her admonitory tone contrasted so starkly with my spirited and mirthful one. At times, this sister of mine could really intimidate me.

"Yeonhwa...you're not gonna punish your little brother, are you? I just wanted to play..." I withdrew my hands and chewed on my lip sorrily. I'd seen for myself how merciless she could be when she penalized the maids and servants who made mistakes. Well, they shouldn't have made mistakes in the first place, but sometimes — actually, most times — I felt Yeonhwa was too harsh on them.

Once she turned around, I pouted and looked at her with puppy eyes. Whenever I did that with my mother or with my aunt or with my grandfather, they'd let me get away with any misdemeanor. I'd be stupid if I didn't exploit my cuteness to my advantage!

She sighed lightly but smiled in the end. It wasn't a very toothy smile, just a standard smile that she gave to me and my siblings whenever she saw us. "If I wanted to rebuke you just because you wanted to fool around, don't you think I would have done it a long time ago? Songak is your home and you are a Prince. It's part of your power to do as you please."

"That means you're not angry with me. Great! Let's go play then!" I grinned and tugged at her arm, but she didn't budge.

"Eun-ah, why do you always want to play? Don't you ever think maybe you should learn a thing or two about politics? This way, you can help out with our father the King's Majesty just like some of our brothers are doing," she suggested.

I let my shoulder slump and made a face. "Yeonhwa-ya, why do you never want to play? Don't you ever think maybe you should relax and have fun? Do you think our brothers are ever _happy_ when they're working? I only ever see them smiling when they're _not_ working. Clearly, work and politics are doing some awful things to them. Besides, we used to play together as kids, didn't we?"

"Yes, but we aren't kids anymore," she pointed out. She was always so serious. With all work and no play, I did wonder how she managed to live till this day.

"Still," I pleaded. "Come on, sister, play with me. I promise you won't regret it."

After a pause, she relented and said, "alright. We can go horse-riding together."

"Yay! It'll be fun!" I clapped my hands joyfully and beamed. I couldn't believe my luck.

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **The most unique aspect of writing in Hae Soo's POV was the chance to show the great differences between Goryeo and the 21st century. How did y'all like reading in her POV? :D**

 **I added Eun to the chapter because we all need a little Wang Eun in our lives to bring some joy. Here you get to see what Eun thinks of Yeonhwa and their contrasting priorities. In the next chapter I'll show what Yeonhwa thinks of Eun and give you more insight into what's going on in her mind. :D**

 **Last but not least, isn't there this one particular character that you're waiting to see if they'll celebrate Hyeong's birthday? Hmm, maybe you'll find out in the next chapter. But for this chapter, be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think! I appreciate feedback! Thanks for reading. :P**


	16. Light & Dark

**(The Woods, Songak)**

~Yeonhwa's POV~

"How was your day, Yeonhwa?" Eun asked as our horses trotted at a casual pace. "I hope it wasn't anywhere as boring as mine. With no one to play with. You can't imagine the pain," he shook his head.

"My day wasn't boring, but it was serious," I replied neutrally.

"Then you need to lighten up, don't you?" He grinned and patted me on the shoulder. I couldn't help but return the smile. This time I was sincere. I knew I seldom had a genuine reason to smile. But this little brother of mine was, although childish most times, constantly so optimistic and hopeful. It was difficult to not be cheery along with him. It was contagious and he never even had to try, whereas with everything that I did, it took so much effort. Suddenly it hit me that — not that failure was ever an option but — if I couldn't get to stay in Songak after I get married, Eun's laughter and the joyous atmosphere he'd create and spread just might be something that I would miss.

"I know I can rely on you for that," I said to him warmly. I sighed inwardly and realized just how exhausting it was to constantly have to put up a facade, to shut people out and manipulate those I keep in my circle. It was tiring but no doubt necessary to consolidating my place at Court. With Eun, however, he really didn't have any ambition or ulterior motives. Sure, it was immaturity as he failed to see the royal court for the dangerous and dark place that it really was, but he was also pure and innocent.

"Of course I'll be able to make you cheer up! You can count on me to do what I do best," he said and held out his hand with his index finger pointed upward.

"What does that sign mean?" I asked as I made an attempt to imitate him.

"Well," he explained as he made another sign, this time curling his fingers into a fist but his thumb was pointing upward. "This sign means the best, but since we can't be the best because obviously our father the King's Majesty is the best, we can be second best," he said, switching back to the original hand signal.

I tried a few times to switch between the two. "I've never seen anybody do this before. Did you come up with this?"

"No, it wasn't me. Lady Hae Soo taught me this," he revealed.

My smile was gone. I looked away for a moment so that Eun didn't have to see me rolling my eyes. Hae Soo again? Who did that girl think she was? Fooling around with this Prince and that Prince.

"It seems you and Her Ladyship are quite close, is that right?" I inquired, keeping my tone flat.

"Yes! We're great friends and she's willing to play with me," he answered joyously. "It must be so nice that you get to see her all the time since she lives in Yeondeok Palace with you!"

 _No, Eun, I strongly dislike her and I would like her to get out of my house_ , I thought to myself. But I didn't say it to Eun because I wouldn't have liked to make him upset by insulting his friend. He must have forgotten the time I whipped Hae Soo. But I hadn't forgotten.

"You can come by as often as you like," I replied, deciding it might be better to change the topic. "I mean it. Once I get married, I can't be sure if I will get to stay in Songak to see you frequently, let alone play with you."

His expression and mood turned somber and grave now. "You're going to get married? So soon?"

I shrugged. "His Majesty has discussed the matter with me a couple of times. I'm of marriageable age anyway. It's no surprise."

"But...but you've lived here all your life. Wouldn't it make you uncomfortable if you have to move away all of a sudden? If it were to happen to me, I don't know if I would be able to adjust to it. If I can't get used to it, I will be very unhappy and I don't want that," he said worriedly.

"Then it looks like it's a good thing that you'll never have to worry about being sent to a foreign nation to marry a member of the royal family there," I said wryly. Really, his worries were so simple. But he spared a thought for my comfort, and there weren't a lot of people who'd care about that.

"Don't worry," he said breezily. I really wished it could be that easy. "His Majesty will choose a good man for you to marry. And any man would be honored and lucky to marry a sister of mine," he smiled.

Eun was truly too precious for this world. From the bottom of his heart he loved and cared for all our siblings and merely wanted all of us to be happy and enjoying life. I almost felt as if I was failing him, for having so many concerns and burdens. I did feel ashamed to be his sister. He deserved a better sister than one who'd scheme and lie and use everything about her future husband to her own advantage. No one would be honored and lucky to have a wife like me.

Although I was filled with remorse in this moment, I could only harden my heart once more like I'd had to do every day, because I could not let a brother's innocence weaken my resolve to get myself a husband I could exploit. I needed and wanted power, and one way or another I would get it.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

In the afternoon, most of the guests had left. My parents and I could now spend some time on preparing for our meeting with the King tomorrow. But then Woljin had informed me that the 3rd Prince Yo's concubine, Lady Sinye, had come over. I wasn't expecting Her Ladyship, although at the back of my mind I was constantly hoping that His Highness himself would be here.

Lady Sinye was here, and her maid had returned the umbrella to Woljin that I had lent to Prince Yo the other day when our date on the Peak was cut short because of the weather. I looked up at the sky and today was such a fine day. If His Highness were to take me out today, we wouldn't have to worry about the weather.

"Happy birthday, Lady Hyeong," said Lady Sinye, smiling. "I'm still very happy about the crystal cakes last time. This time for your birthday I made some coconut bars for you."

"Thank you! That's so sweet of you. It's a very pleasant surprise," I said jocundly. "Why don't you come inside?"

I then introduced Sinye to my family and we spent the rest of the afternoon chatting. When it was dinnertime and she had to go home, I didn't offer to walk her back to Gyeongchun Palace, not because I didn't want to run into the 3rd Prince again but because it would make my parents ask questions. However, I did find out from Sinye that Prince Yo had in fact become quite busy recently. As a sign of the King's trust, His Majesty had entrusted Prince Yo with additional duties and tasks. I guessed that meant he wouldn't be paying any attention to me these days. It was a pity and I was a tad bit disappointed. I did miss being so close to him, and he did say that he would play chess with me so that I could lose to him. Alas, of course his royal duties were much more important than spending time with me. I didn't even know what I was to him. Technically I was just one of his subjects, as I couldn't really say that we were friends. Not like how I was friends with Won and Jung and even Baekah.

I had a lovely dinner though, with my family. Geolha and I were on good terms again, and I could always count on Geolsang to make the atmosphere lively and jolly.

After dinner, I thought about our family's meeting with King Taejo tomorrow and how frightening Hae Soo had described the King to be. But then while I was still preparing my hanbok for tomorrow's occasion, I heard a loud crackle. I looked out my window and gasped when I saw that fireworks were going off in the night sky. It was a spectacular sight. Awestruck and delighted, I neglected being ladylike and rushed down the stairs, and sprinted outside. I was a few steps from my residence when I caught sight of somebody approaching Hyunhui Mansion. Although the lighting was dim, the figure did look remarkably like Prince Yo.

To make sure it was not just my wishful thinking, I ran toward the figure and got a better look at him when the lighting was better. It was indeed Prince Yo!

"Your Highness!" I panted, but had the biggest smile on my face.

"Happy birthday, Hyeong-ah," he said, coolly, but not with a poker face. "The fireworks are for you. I thought it might make a special treat from me."

"It is special," I agreed. "Nobody has ever done this for me before. It just...lights up the dark."

" _You_ are the light to my dark, you know," he gazed at me intently and said. "Because you're uncomplicated and easy-going, even though living at the royal court can make us the exact opposite. I like that about you. Don't ever lose who you are. I'm glad our lives crossed paths."

I really wasn't expecting that from him. I did not expect him to be so open with me regarding his feelings, nor had I ever dreamed that I would mean that much to him. I was still out of breath, but spoke anyway. "I thought Your Highness was busy with work these days. But you still did this for me...thank you. I'm glad we met too."

"But last time, didn't you say that the next time you saw me, you were going to run from me?" He asked mischievously. "You should've, because I was rather looking forward to running after you and chasing you, especially catching you, of course."

"I don't want to run away from you, my Prince. I'm not going anywhere. I just want to be...in your arms," I confessed. He did tell me that I could've just asked if I wanted him to hold me.

"I'm here," he said with so much warmth in his voice, shedding his cool exterior as he opened his arms. I stood on my tiptoes and threw my arms over his shoulders, allowing him to engulf me in his embrace. His arms wrapped around my waist were tight enough to make me feel safe and wanted. The hunch I had this morning was correct: today was indeed a very, very good day.

* * *

 **(Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

All 5 members of the An family knelt and bowed at King Taejo. Lord An was used to being in the King's presence, so he was the most at ease. His wife Lady Choi was not graced by the King's presence as often, but she was still a high-ranking noblewoman and she carried herself gracefully and calmly. Their eldest son Lord Geolha wasn't exactly comfortable with having to meet with the King. After all, he was having an affair with one of His Majesty's concubines. As for the younger children, Lady Hyeong and Lord Geolsang, they were nervous to be meeting the single most powerful person in Goryeo. Apart from knowing to copy their parents' every move, they were like deers in the headlights.

There were cakes and tea on the table, served by the Sanggung, Court Lady Oh Sooyeon, whom the King did not spare a glance at. Although the An family was allowed to sit and chat with His Majesty, the atmosphere was tense which convinced Geolsang that he would be better off doing sit-ups or lifting weights under the supervision of the 14th Prince Jung. Like his brother, Geolha secretly just wanted to be out of this. And if Hyeong had a choice, she wouldn't have chosen to be here either because of how jittery it made her. It did not help that she knew that this meeting had to do with the fact that she had just turned 16. Even though she didn't do anything wrong, she was so scared that at any given moment she would feel the need to fall to her knees and beg for mercy. Her anxiety was driving her insane.

Naturally, it was His Majesty who spoke first. "I am pleased that your clan has been loyal to me all these years," Taejo began. "As a reward for your fealty, I am interested in marrying someone from your family."

And then the King's sight landed on Hyeong.

* * *

 **A/n: Suspense! Is King Taejo really going to marry Hyeong? What's going to happen to her now? I have answers to those in the next chapter, but I'd like to hear some of your guesses, and what you thought of the chapter, especially the scene in Yeonhwa's POV. Thanks for reading; don't forget to review! :D**


	17. Happiness

**(Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

King Taejo was interested in marrying Lady Hyeong? Her face had turned so pale that it looked even whiter than Court Lady Oh's uniform. It was as if she'd seen a ghost. No, in fact her face was so bloodless that she herself could well be mistaken for a phantom.

Lord Geolha's face was not drained of blood but his expression certainly turned grim. He had been in this position before, not having a say in who to marry. But this time he was actually angry, deep inside. He'd already lost Park Moongeum, the love of his life, to King Taejo. And now he was expected to hand his lady sister over to this very same man too?

Their parents maintained a collected exterior even though they were taken aback, yet Lord Geolsang was still too young to be skilled at not letting it show that he was shocked. He let out a gasp and his mouth was shaped like an 'o'. Luckily, taking into account his tender age, King Taejo did not take any offense from it.

None of them knew what to say, or if it would even be wise to speak at all. Therefore they remained silent. In fact that was the best policy as King Taejo was not finished yet and he continued, "but after some deliberation, I realize it would be better to think for my sons and their future. It is also important that they marry women from prestigious families, especially those who haven't even had a first wife yet. And so, Lord An, I leave it to you to choose one of the unwed Princes as your son in law: the 4th Prince So, the 10th Prince Eun, the 13th Prince Baekah, and the 14th Prince Jung. I'll give my blessing."

"Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable," said Lord An and Lady Choi immediately, standing up to bow, and their children followed suit. Hyeong exhaled in relief, and color had returned to her face, but she was shaking and still thought she was going to pass out.

But if that was all that King Taejo had wanted to say, why didn't His Majesty just summon Lord An alone and say it to His Lordship? Why send for his whole family?

King Taejo sighed slightly. "At the end of the day, it is your clan that gives me the least worries. Look at all the other aristocratic families stirring up trouble every now and then. I am so fed up with the Yu clan and the Hwangbo clan constantly fighting one another. I thought I liked the Hae family, but I've heard that they're involved in some bribes recently. And that's just to name a few. Don't even get me started on the Kang clan...they're a bunch of snakes. It's only your clan that won't give me a headache," he stated. "There is no other family than yours that I would rather entrust my daughter to — I must choose well for Princess Yeonhwa."

Whereas Lord An and Lady Choi looked pleasantly surprised, Geolha was startled and looked very uneasy.

"An Geolha," King Taejo announced and looked at the alarmed lordling with hope rather than with suspicion. "I give you permission to court Princess Yeonhwa. Out of the young, single noblemen that the Crown Prince Mu had commended to me, you are the candidate that I am most pleased with. You will continue serving the Crown Prince by attending his daily meetings each morning. After that, you will be spending time with the Princess. I recall that you are involved with the Ministry of Arts and Humanities. This proves you are well-read and Yeonhwa will be pleased with that. I am uneager to send her away from Court anyway, so it pleases me that you live in Songak. If Yeonhwa is content and agrees to marry you, I will give my blessing for you two to be wed."

Geolha wanted to throw himself off a cliff or drive a knife through his chest. He had had enough. First he had to give up the person he loved the most. Then he was forced to marry a noblewoman he did not care for. And now he was expected to court a Princess he disliked. Although His Majesty had phrased it nicely, giving his 'permission' and his 'blessing', it was nothing but a curse to Geolha and he wondered what great sin had he ever committed to have to deal with such bad luck. For the first time in his life he wished he was still married to Lady Nangyung.

Still, he was merely the King's subject and therefore a small potato. It was not up to him to raise objections to what His Majesty was so pleased to arrange. He and his family members had thanked King Taejo once more and just as dramatically.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

Today's announcements from the King were just too overwhelming, particularly for Geolha and Hyeong. That night, neither of the two could fall asleep. They decided they might as well sit in the lounge and talk about it.

"His Majesty had scared the living daylights out of you earlier today," said Geolha to his sister.

"I could've died. For a moment there I really thought that I was going to have to become one of his concubines. I wouldn't have wanted that. It was such a relief that I'm just going to get married to a Prince," Hyeong gushed in one big breath.

"I saw how horrified you were. I was worried that you were going to faint," he replied.

"It would have been the least of our worries," she sighed. "But I suppose I'm already very fortunate. Your situation is much direr. I take it you're displeased to have to court somebody you're not very fond of. Even though His Majesty didn't directly set up a betrothal or a marriage, you may well be going down that path. I'm sorry you have to go through this all over again. I don't think I've ever really been able to put myself in your shoes to think about your feelings. I can't imagine how frustrating it is for you. You must feel so helpless."

"'Displeased' is a mild way of putting it. Just the thought of it has me climbing the walls. Don't tell anyone I said this, but Her Highness the Princess is really not an agreeable person. She's haughty and picky and callous to other people's suffering," he groaned.

"I've heard about and seen for myself how condescending she could be," Hyeong nodded sadly, remembering how the Princess treated Lady Hae Soo.

"With that personality of hers...I don't know how in the world I'll ever be able to get along with her. Yet I am bound by what is practically a royal decree to spend a lot of my time with her each day. At least I never had to suffer this way when I was stuck with Nangyung," he buried his face in his hands and rubbed his temples.

"You see the good in Nangyung now?" Hyeong enquired, keeping the castigation in her tone a minimum. She knew that her brother had it tough. There were certain behaviors he displayed that she didn't approve of, and she hadn't forgotten how vehemently she'd had to stand up for Nangyung when he wouldn't treat his wife right. But now another misfortune had befallen Geolha, and Hyeong still wouldn't have wished this calamity upon him or anyone. Even if it wasn't marriage, being stuck with and having to spend time with a person you disliked was agonizing enough.

"I never thought I would. I now realize she's certainly not the worst," he admitted.

"You've spoken a few times with the Princess, haven't you? What does she think of you? Do you think she likes you?" She asked.

"I don't think Her Highness _likes_ anybody. She just _tolerates_ people if and when she has a reason to," he grunted. "I wouldn't want to make her like me though. If she decides she can't stand me and wants to get rid of me, it might be even be good for me."

"Except our parents might not be happy with that. Even though Her Highness isn't likable, she's still a Princess, and if she is to marry into our family, it would be a great honor and glory for our clan. I'll admit I don't think that much of it, but our parents certainly find that important," she pointed out.

"It's really not that I don't want to be an obedient and dutiful son. I know I have the responsibility to defer to my parents and do as they say. But I've had to give up so much, and I don't think it's fair to me. They didn't much like that I was into poetry, so I tried to be good at politics and follow Father's footsteps, so that now, Geolsang could be the warrior that he wanted to be. They liked the social connections that Nangyung's clan had, so I married her anyway and tried to give them the heir that would bind our families together, so that our status could be further elevated and that'd facilitate better marriages for you and Geolsang. There were so many times when, as the eldest son and heir of the An family, I had to go the extra mile to secure the best interests of our clan. A lot of things I didn't really have a say in. We might have gained and benefited from it in the end, but I don't think I'm able to say it was worth it, because for me, all it's generated is unhappiness," he explained. He had kept these feelings and sorrows bottled up for a long time. He was never certain if the people around him, even those that he'd spent the most time with, truly understood him fundamentally. The Crown Prince Mu had praised him for being competent at politics, but his aptitude was often mistaken for taking a liking in it. Even if he wanted to or needed to confide in someone, he didn't know who he could go to, especially when his beloved Park Moongeum was more often than not out of his reach.

"I'm so sorry that you've had to feel this way for so many years," Hyeong replied sympathetically, only beginning to realize how weighed down with tribulations and adversities he was because of the onus on him. She honestly didn't know how she could make him feel better. What was in her power to do seemed so meager compared to what he had had to go through. "If only I were allowed to choose to marry the 8th Prince Wook."

"What good would that do?" Geolha asked.

"If His Highness were to marry me, the Hwangbo family would already have an alliance with us. Naturally, they wouldn't want to waste their only daughter, the Princess, on a marriage to another member of our An clan that they think they've already secured their ties with. That way, they would have objections to your courtship with Princess Yeonhwa, and they'd use their influence to change His Majesty's mind, so you wouldn't have to put up with her," Hyeong explained.

"That makes sense. But how could I put you through my suffering? I'm sure the 8th Prince is much more likable than his sister, but Hyeong-ah you deserve to be a man's first wife. His only wife actually. I don't want you to be tied in marriage or feel trapped, or obligated to do this just to delight somebody else, even if it's your own family members. I would really rather you choose a Prince that you love or at least like, out of the candidates that His Majesty had mentioned. You are so fortunate that the most powerful man in the kingdom has given you the freedom to choose. Treasure this liberty, because not everyone gets that. Make that choice wisely, and think for your own happiness. It's not selfish, Hyeong. It's natural and normal to want to be happy," said Geolha earnestly. "I do long to be happy. And in spite of these arranged relationships, I still have faith that in the future I would get my shot at happiness. Someday, I won't have to fake it anymore. But until then, I guess I'll settle for living vicariously through you."

"I won't disappoint you," Hyeong promised. She still reckoned that the last time they quarrelled she was right for defending Nangyung, but she might be wrong for judging him so harshly and too quickly.

"What do you think then? You have a total of four Princes to choose from. Even among noblewomen in Goryeo, few would have that honor. Do you know who you're going to pick already?" He asked. "I know the King let Father be the one to choose, but surely Father would go by your preference."

Hyeong nodded. "Yes, I think I know who I want as my betrothed."

* * *

 **(Okrin Palace, Songak)**

~So's POV~

This morning, I was going to do something that I still wasn't quite used to doing: socialize with my brothers. Sure, I was less reluctant to show up at 'family events' where all of us would be present, and I'd had some positive experiences with my 13th brother Baekah and my 14th brother Jung, some slightly problematic run-ins with my 8th brother Wook because of his pesky cousin-in-law Lady Hae Soo, as well as some negative encounters with my 3rd brother Yo, but today I was set to visit my 9th brother Won, and he was an enigma. I didn't know what he was up to or whose side he was on. I wasn't sure how mean or how nice he'd be to me, but I was about to find out.

Once I'd arrived, I was greeted by his two wives. They were polite and didn't show any signs that they didn't want me around even though I was sure they must have heard of my reputation. Cautiously, but not reluctantly, each of them handed her son to me. I didn't know how to carry a child properly, as nobody had ever felt safe to leave an infant in my arms, so I felt incredibly awkward. But to my relief and surprise, my nephews didn't cry when I was holding them. I was bracing myself and waiting for them to wail, but they didn't, at all. I couldn't tell which one was Beom and which one was Bon as they were equally chubby, but I was amazed when one of them giggled, and the other even reached out to poke my mask. They didn't fear me. Fear was learned, and they weren't taught to be afraid of me just yet. For me it was a wondrous sight to witness.

Afterward, as they had to be fed, their mothers brought them back to the nursery, which left my 9th brother with me in the lounge.

"Not a single sign of protest," said Won, looking pleased with himself, rubbing his hands together. "They must like their 4th uncle a lot."

"I never thought they would like me," I admitted. I never thought _anybody_ would like me, to be honest. Jiyoun was just an exception.

"Guess kids aren't called bundles of joy for no reason," he laughed. "Have you visited our eldest brother Mu and our 3rd brother Yo yet? Mu has three daughters and two sons; Yo's got one each."

"No, I haven't been invited yet," I answered. It could be construed as a lie, but it was the wise thing to say. It'd convince Won that he was among the friendliest ones, so that he'd continue to be on good terms with me. Also, even though the Crown Prince did introduce his wives and his children to me, I didn't want to let anybody know that he and I were close. And of course, the last thing my 3rd brother would do was allow me to get near his kids.

"I can't wait till my sons are older so I could have them trained in this and that. I'll hire the best tutors for them, no doubt our 13th brother Baekah will teach them to appreciate the arts, and our 14th brother Jung will teach them how to fight," Won replied. "Even though my boys aren't Princes, they should still make their royal grandfather the King proud."

"Everybody says Jung-ie is good at martial arts. But is he really?" I inquired.

"Well, he definitely is better than I am. I'm no good with a sword, really," he chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I know _you're_ good at sword-fighting, though. Who taught you, So?"

Ah, I wasn't about to expose General Park, but if I dodged the question it'd seem suspicious. "My adoptive family gave me some training," I lied.

"I see. I guess it's not my strength. Or at least, a blade isn't my preferred weapon," he said. That made him sound more dangerous than he might have intended. Perhaps he noticed that too, so he followed it up with a joke. "There probably are women who can fight better than I can."

"I've met a woman who can fight better than a _lot_ of men," I stated, thinking of General Park's daughter, Soonduk. She was a couple of years younger than me, but definitely a lot more talented. We were sparring partners when I was under her father's tutelage.

"The only time I'd feel comfortable with a sword in my hand is for the exorcism rite," Won shuddered and didn't look like he wanted to pursue the topic. "By the way, So, this is the first time you're participating in the exorcism ritual. How do you feel? Tense?"

I had agreed to take the Crown Prince's place at the ceremony so that _I_ would be sacrificed should an assassination attempt really take place, but of course I wasn't going to tell Won that. "It's new to me," I said curtly. "Not just this ritual, but everything at Court feels new to me."

"Do you like living at Court?" He enquired. "How does it compare to living in Shinju?"

Shinju was a nightmare; I was better off dead than living there. "It's much more restrictive here, but I can get used to it. I'm sure the King means for me to get accustomed to the lifestyle here. His Majesty hasn't made any plans or given me any instruction to go anywhere else after the rite."

"Then if you're staying, shouldn't you be given a palace as your own residence?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Who else would stay there apart from myself? I'm quite content with the chambers that Jimong had arranged for me. There's not much point giving me a household of my own to run."

"Right, since you're yet to be married," he replied and shrugged. "Which is kind of a surprise. I mean, you're older than me, and all of my elder brothers are married. Surely there are nobles in Shinju who'd like to marry off their daughters to a Prince locally available?"

I pursed my lips flippantly. "You'd be surprised by how much more they care about my face than they do about my princely status."

"Haven't any Shinju beauties caught your eye though?" He asked curiously. Clearly, _he_ was more interested in meeting Shinju beauties than whether or not _I_ had ever encountered any.

I raised my eyebrows. "You have two wives already. Isn't that more than enough?"

He smirked slyly. "Our father has almost thirty wives. Do you ever hear His Majesty say it's enough?"

"I'm not that interested in making a marriage," I replied plainly. "I'd rather spend time alone or with my siblings. In fact I'm going to go have lunch with our 13th brother now."

"Alright then. Feel free to come by Okrin Palace anytime, though," he smiled. "I'll be happy to chat with you whenever you want to drop by, 4th brother."

* * *

 **A/n: Which Prince do you think Hyeong is going to choose? And which Prince would YOU choose if it were up to you? Tell me in the reviews below. :D**


	18. My First Ever Friend

**(Seongmok Palace, Songak)**

~Baekah's POV~

Most days, my 4th brother So would come over for lunch. I think I was the one, among all of our siblings, that he was most comfortable with. In addition to being brothers, I was glad that we were friends. I couldn't bear to see So isolated and ostracized because of his scar. I understood that appearances did matter, but not enough to prevent me from getting close to him and befriending him. Although he made it seem like he was doing fine on his own and didn't need anybody, he still accepted me and welcomed my friendship. I thought that proved that he was lonely and he did want somebody to understand and support him. At our core, we all needed that. It was part of our humanity, and he deserved to be treated like a human being, not a beast.

At lunch today, I brought up the topic of our possible betrothal to Lady Hyeong of the An family. Yesterday I'd heard that our father the King's Majesty had allowed Lord An to choose an unmarried Prince for his daughter to wed. This was an honor that, according to my recollection, was only ever given to Lord Park Younggyu, with his middle daughter Lady Moongong who was now the wife of my 3rd brother Yo.

As such, both So and I, along with our 10th brother Eun and our 14th brother Jung, were candidates that Lord An could choose for Hyeong to marry. Although Hyeong and I were a bit more than mere acquaintances, we were not close friends, so perhaps it wouldn't be me that she would be married off to.

"What are your thoughts on this matter then?" I asked So. "Think you might be getting married soon?"

He shrugged dismissively. "It's not going to happen. Nobody has ever tried to plan marriages for me before. I know I'm unwanted. I mean, which family would want to send their daughter into a marriage to a man with this face?" He chuckled wryly, tapping his mask. "I'll probably end up forever alone. And that's alright."

"Don't say that about yourself, So," I nudged him.

"Even if it's not for this ugly scar, I've never even seen or heard of this Lady An Hyeong before, and I've no desire to be acquainted with her. Neither the Yu clan nor the Kang clan have had any dealings with the An family. There's no need for me to make allies for them," he added.

I nodded. "Lady Hyeong isn't familiar with Eun-ie either, so I guess it's not going to be him."

"That leaves Jung-ie then. Good. I think he'll be happy about that," So commented.

"You know about Jung's...liking?" I asked. I thought I was the only one that Jung had told, and I could keep a secret.

"Not until you've confirmed it for me just now," So replied. "I just always see him passing by my chambers after breakfast, heading to Hyunhui Mansion, and passing by again right before dinnertime, from Hyunhui Mansion. That's where the An family resides, right?"

"Yes, Jung-ie does spend a lot of time there, but it's not with Her Ladyship. It's with the youngest son of Lord An and Lady Choi, to practice martial arts," I revealed.

"Then it's perfect," he remarked. "How bizarre it is to think that I've never met this baby brother of mine before I returned to Songak. But this kid is getting married already. Can he even take care of a wife? He can barely look after himself."

I laughed. "I do think it'll be Lady Hyeong taking care of Jung-ie rather than the other way around if they are to be wed."

"I don't ever want to get married. I don't want to make it my responsibility to look after somebody," he declared.

"That's just because you haven't met the right person yet," I suggested.

"I'm not sure there is one for me," he shrugged once more. "There will be one for you, though, Baekah-ya."

I smiled and thought of Myunghee. I loved her but she could never be mine. Did that mean that perhaps she was not the one for me?

"I can't wait for you to meet the one for you and recall how wrong you are for saying this to me. I'll wait," I challenged, hoping to cheer him up.

"Wow. You're the second person to ever say this to me," he leaned back, mildly surprised.

"Second? Who's the first?" I inquired, and felt the burning need to know.

He waved his hand. "You wouldn't know who she is. Even if you've met her before, I don't think you'll remember her now."

"It's a girl?" I raised my voice in both surprise and delight. "You've got yourself a secret admirer, So-ya?"

He snorted. "No, she's not a secret admirer."

"Well, you've got to tell me who she is, or I'll go around telling everybody that you've got a secret admirer," I joked and leaned forward in interest.

"It takes so little to get you all curious and worked up," he whistled and folded his arms across his chest.

"Come on, brother," I pleaded. "I see it as a very positive thing. It means that I'm not the only person who believe that you deserve to have a normal and happy life like everybody else."

"Fine, I'll spill," he relented.

"I'm ready. I'm listening," I beamed. I must look like an elated child right now.

"Her name is Jiyoun," he revealed.

"Jiyoun? You mean the same name of our cousin, Wang Jiyoun?" I furrowed my eyebrows and thought for a moment.

"Yes, it is our cousin Jiyoun that I'm talking about. Technically, we're second cousins with her, as her father is Wang Shikryeom, our Chancellor. But since we call him Uncle Shikryeom…"

"I get it," I nodded, fascinated. "I didn't know that you were on such good terms with Jiyoun."

"I think that's the result of me and her seeing each other every day. After all, we grew up together in Shinju. Uncle Shikryeom didn't want his daughter to grow up in Songak for fear that she'd become a political target, so he sent Jiyoun to be raised in Shinju with her mother, a member of the Kang clan that adopted me," he explained.

"I know who you're talking about. I think she's only ever been at Court a couple of times, when I was really little. I don't really remember what she looks like," I replied.

"She's a beauty," he commented. "And in many ways, one of a kind."

"Really?" I grinned. "I don't know. It's possible that I was playmates with her as kids, but we never kept in touch."

"She and I are a lot closer. She's my only friend in Shinju. Actually the only ever friend I've had, until I came back to Songak and got on with you," he added.

"Your first ever friend, then," I said.

"My first ever more-than-just-friend," he emphasized, and tilted his head to the side slightly, as if waiting for me to pick up on what he was putting down nonverbally.

Was he suggesting what I thought he was suggesting? Could it be that he and Jiyoun were _intimate_? He was a man and she was, like he said, a beauty...should that be surprising?

"Are you serious?" I gaped at him.

"I'm always serious," he said, in a manner that was not at all serious. "Naturally, she was my, you know, _first_. And I hers. That's why we mean so much to each other."

"I can't believe it," I uttered. "I'll keep your secret though."

"I'm pretty sure even if you went around spreading this to everybody in Songak, nobody would believe it," he smirked. "Jiyoun and I are best friends and not even her family in Shinju suspected that we had a physical relationship."

"But I thought only married couples or lovers would do that thing in the bedroom," I replied.

"I thought so too. But like I said, our cousin Jiyoun is one of a kind. Growing up under her influence has made me the carefree person that I am today," he remarked. "You'll understand what I mean when you meet her."

"You mean you expect I'll have a chance to do that?" I asked. I didn't know whether to be amused by or scared of such an unconventional woman.

"Of course," he nodded. "She'll be coming to Songak after the New Year."

* * *

 **(The Damiwon, Songak)**

~Eun's POV~

"Soo-ya, I'm so happy that you can play with me today. You haven't visited me in quite a few days now. Haven't you missed me?" I wriggled my eyebrows and nudged her twice.

"Of course I've missed you, Your Highness. That's why I'm here now. I do like spending time with my first ever friend in Goryeo, and that'd be you, Prince Eun," Soo smiled. A gesture as simple as a smile from her could make me melt and make my day.

"What've you been busy with these few days?" I enquired. "I want to know what could possibly be more important than making merry with me," I added, but actually I was eager to know what she'd been up to mostly because deep inside I wanted to hear that she wasn't having that much fun when she didn't get to see me. Of course I wanted to be assured that she was happy whenever she was with me. Because I sure was my happiest self when I was around her. Soo made me very happy and honestly that was the most important thing in life.

"Just accompanying Myunghee and looking after her. It's not suitable for her to go out for too long or move around too much," she explained. I knew she was worried about her cousin's poor health. I only liked her even more for spending her time taking care of my sister in law than go out and play. If I were in her shoes, I wasn't sure if I could make the same decision.

"Isn't it boring for you to stay indoors with her all the time though?" I cocked my head to the side, waiting for her to admit that it's more exciting to be outdoors with me.

"Slightly, but then there are still a lot of things that I can do with her even when we're at home. It doesn't matter, as long as she stays warm and can get the rest that she needs. I want to be by her side to attend her anyway," she replied.

"I see…" I nodded slowly. "I like how selfless you are, Soo-ya."

"I don't really see it that way. Myunghee is my family. How could I not take care of her? Your Highness would do the same too, right?" She asked.

"I don't know…" I looked down in shame. "Actually, my lady mother has fallen ill yesterday but I never really checked on her. I just told her maids to look after her attentively."

"My Prince, how could you not personally take care of her? She's your mother. When you were the one who got sick, she must've looked after you day and night," Soo said. Even though she was chiding me, her tone was still gentle.

I was quiet for a moment because she was right. I just never realized or acknowledged how much my family had done for me. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad for me to give up playing for a few days, to take care of my mother. I believed Soo would be proud of me if I could do that.

"I see what you mean. I think maybe I should go and check on her after dinner tonight," I said. "I bet my mother will be happier to see me than be constantly surrounded by her handmaidens."

She nodded in approval. "If it's convenient for your lady mother right now, we can go and visit her together. Do you think that would be possible, Your Highness?" She suggested.

I grinned proudly. I remembered Soo telling me how anxious it made her when she had to meet the two Queens. But now she volunteered to meet my mother. She'd only do that because she liked me enough, right?

"Sure. I think my mother will like you very much," I said sweetly. "Don't you have to go back to look after your cousin though?"

She beamed. "The 10th Prince is becoming more and more considerate now," she commented. "I'm not in a hurry to go home. Myunghee has invited your 13th brother as well as Lady An Hyeong to come over, so she'll have company."

I nodded and smiled. "Come with me, then."

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **What do you think of So's Shinju BFF plus cousin Jiyoun? If you dislike her already, I understand, especially if you feel that way because you worry** **she might threaten the So/Soo pairing. But she won't, actually...if anything, she might even indirectly make it easier for Hae Soo to choose So ultimately. Jiyoun's character is a lot more than what So has shared. You might change your mind about her when she appears for real.**

 **On another note, did you guys like reading in Eun's POV? Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter anyway. Do tell me what you think in the reviews below. :DD**


	19. Worry

**(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Woljin's POV~

Today, Chaeryung had come over to Hyunhui Mansion to inform Lady Hyeong that Lady Hae Myunghee was feeling exceptionally well today, so Her Ladyship had decided to invite Hyeong as well as the 13th Prince Baekah — gasp! — over to her residence. Today must be my lucky day!

Eagerly, I helped Hyeong get ready and we proceeded to the residence of the 8th Prince Wook. It really had been a while since we'd visited.

"You seem to be in a good mood today, Woljin," Hyeong said observantly.

"Of course. Lady Hae Myunghee is in a better condition and it means you can visit Her Ladyship more often. Isn't that something to be happy for, my Lady?" I replied smartly.

She giggled. "That's true. But are you sure you aren't this elated because you get to see _somebody_?"

I tensed up. "Get to see whom, my Lady?"

"Your friend Chaeryung, of course!"

I exhaled in relief. "That's indeed one of the reasons why I'm delighted, my Lady."

Chaeryung brought us into a room where Lady Myunghee and Prince Baekah were already sitting and waiting. Lady Hyeong joined their conversation and while they chatted, Chaeryung and I stood by at the corners. It was likely that Lady Hyeong would be staying for the rest of the afternoon, which meant that I could spend these hours visually appreciating the 13th Prince.

* * *

~Baekah's POV~

Myunghee had previously promised me and Hyeong that she'd be our model and let us draw her. Finally, today, we had the chance to do that. I'd been longing for it. Now that it was happening for real, next to reality my dreams just paled in comparison.

Although we had all afternoon, it didn't take me long to finish the drawing. Myunghee had appeared in my thoughts and in my dreams so often that it was easy to draw her even from memory.

As Hyeong was nowhere near finished with hers, I just sat and gazed at Myunghee adoringly. I was content to just be in her company. I could do nothing at all and still have the best time ever, as long as she was with me. I didn't think she even knew that she could make me this happy. If I could tell her just that, if I could make her feel my love, if I could make her as happy as she made me...how wonderful would that be.

"Your Highness, I wonder what you're smiling at," Myunghee piped up, noticing that I was daydreaming.

"I just think it's nice to be able to be here and draw you," I answered merrily.

"I deliberately asked Soo to do my makeup for me before inviting you two to come over," she replied sweetly, "so that you could draw me when I'm looking my best."

I smiled to myself. The beauty I saw in her was not something that Lady Soo could take credit for. It wasn't just her soft hair, or her perfect brows, or the curve of her nose either. Sure, her eyes just drew me in, and the shape of her face, her lips, and all of her features I could gaze at forever and not get bored, but there was so much more. Her kind, calm, and gentle personality was what I loved about her. Nobody else had her sweet disposition, and I didn't want anybody else anyway. It was _Myunghee_ , all of her, that I —

Cough, cough.

I bolted upright and was quick to rise to my feet when Myunghee coughed into her handkerchief. At first I had hoped it was no big deal, but then she began to cough more violently, and I had rushed to her side quicker than her handmaiden could. I saw blood on her handkerchief and I knew that it was bad.

"What's wrong?!" Hyeong gasped, and patted Myunghee's back gently. Another maid brought warm water for Myunghee, but she could barely drink it without choking on it. She was having difficulty breathing now, which made me panic.

"Myunghee, don't be afraid. I'm here," I gulped. I didn't really know what to do except to put on a brave face. She eyed me helplessly and apologetically, clutching the corner of the table with her shaky fingers. I wished I could hold her hand. "Calm down first. Deep breaths. Do it with me," I said collectedly, even though deep inside I was extremely worried.

After a while, it seemed to work, though, as she wasn't coughing up blood anymore, but her breathing wasn't back to normal yet. Her throat and chest must hurt a lot but there wasn't even anything I could do to make her feel better. I had never felt so helpless before. I was crestfallen. How did this happen? She was totally fine just now!

"Prince Baekah, the physicians said Her Ladyship needs bedrest," said one of her maids urgently. I nodded sadly and let them help Myunghee to her bedchambers.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

Both Prince Baekah and I were very worried about Lady Myunghee's condition. Although I went home with Woljin, His Highness insisted on remaining in Yeondeok Palace. Perhaps I was just overanalyzing, but could it be possible that the 13th Prince had a special kind of feelings for Myunghee?

Before dinner, I had a chat with Geolsang. He told me about his day with the 14th Prince Jung and then I told him about what happened with Myunghee today.

"Really? Was the blood bright red and foamy, or dark red and tea-colored?" He inquired.

"Geolsang! That's not the point!" I sighed in exasperation. "What I'm trying to tell you is that we all thought Her Ladyship was recovering but apparently, as I'd just seen with my own eyes, she was worse than before!"

"And I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm asking because the origin of blood can be identified by observing its color. If it's the former, then the blood is coming from the respiratory tract. If it's the latter, then it's from the gastrointestinal tract," he explained calmly and smoothly. "I just thought maybe we ought to understand her illness better."

"Wow," I gaped at him in awe. "How do you even know about all of this?"

"That's not even all that I know. But I'll tell you, it's because when I go to the 14th Prince's residence, from time to time I'd encounter a court physician visiting Prince Jung. He's called Doctor Lee, and he's there to treat His Highness' broken arm," he answered.

"Prince Jung broke his arm?! Again?!" I gasped. "It's only been a few days since I last saw him!" People around me were getting sick and getting injured. We really needed the 12th lunar month to come soon so that we could hold the exorcism rite.

"No, not 'again'. You remember that His Highness broke his arm last year, right? From fighting with strangers on the streets," he replied. I nodded; apparently we should keep it a secret that Prince Jung was picking fights outside the palace. "It's from a year ago, but His Highness got hurt quite badly, so he needs acupuncture treatments as well as medication from time to time."

"His Highness has never told me that…" I said.

"That's because most of the time he can still fight so well and it doesn't much interfere with his daily functioning, but his arm would sporadically ache, so he wants to get to the root of the problem and Doctor Lee has been able to help him with that," he revealed. "And when this doctor comes by, he always brings along with him a stack of books about medicine. When he's treating Prince Jung and I want to take a break from exercising and practicing, I'd glance through those books. I've learnt quite some things from them and I find them interesting."

"Are you sure? I thought you never really liked reading, like me," I replied, but not trying to discourage him.

"I thought so too, but the information is so useful that I was tempted to read on and learn," he explained. "And it made me think that maybe reading isn't so bad after all. It won't be boring if you can find the right topic that interests you."

I nodded and thought to myself that perhaps before returning the books that I had borrowed from the 13th Prince, I should give them another try. I remembered that Lady Myunghee quite liked poems and proses too, which must've been why Her Ladyship and His Highness were so close. I figured that reading was one of the few things that Myunghee could still afford to do, given that she was quite weak already. If I could spend a little time each day on reading, by the time Myunghee recovered, I could visit her again and we could even read together or discuss what we'd read. It sounded like a plan and I was highly motivated right now. Let's see if I would still be just as motivated tomorrow morning.

* * *

 **(Howon Palace, Songak)**

~Jung's POV~

I didn't expect to have a visitor after dinner, but it turned out that Lady Hyeong wished to see me, so of course I invited her in. There could be no surprise more pleasant than this.

"Your Highness, I've heard about your arm," she began. "I'm worried and I thought I'd come over and see how you're doing."

"Oh...I can never count on Geolsang ever again," I joked, but my lighthearted attitude was masking part of my concern about what Hyeong would think of me now. It wasn't that I was deliberately keeping this from her. It's just that I didn't want her to see me as weak and unable to protect her if she knew about my arm. It was important that she viewed me as masculine and reliable.

I did actually regret getting into that particular fight. I was a stupid kid at that time and it was a thoughtless thing to do, but I really didn't need Hyeong to see me as the same person I was a year ago. It could ruin my chances of getting to marry her, since it'd be announced within this week who her father Lord An was going to choose for her to marry. I was already lucky that I was one of the candidates, but I was up against my 4th brother So and his connections to the Shinju Kang clan, my 10th brother Eun who was the pride of the Gwangju Kang clan, and my 13th brother Baekah with whom Hyeong had spent today with. Surely Lord An would be taking into account the prospect of gaining ties to other influential aristocratic families through his daughter's marriage.

"Does it still hurt very much, my Prince?" She enquired.

"No, it barely aches," I stated jocundly. "I can even lift heavy weights no problem. Come, I'll show you —"

"There's no need, Prince Jung. I wouldn't want you to have to exert yourself," she smiled and said. "As long as the physician that you're consulting is able to cure you, I'll rest my worries."

I nodded contently. "I'll be fine. I appreciate your concern though."

"Alright then. I guess I'll be going back to my residence now, Your Highness," she replied.

"Or you could stay for a chat, actually," I blurted, subconsciously reaching for the teapot and a cup. If I had poured a cup of tea for her before she could step outside, then she'd be more likely to stay, and I'd love that! "I mean, since you're here anyway, right?"

"Is it not late for you, my Prince?" She asked.

"Never," I grinned. "Say, Hyeong, have you got, like, a resolution now that you've turned 16?"

"Well," she answered after a bit of thought. "I would like to do my best at making my family and my friends happy, and for all of us to stay united no matter what hardships we may encounter. How about you, Prince Jung?"

I smiled. "Now you're inspiring me to strive for that too."

"That's good, then, isn't it?" She beamed. "I think we should all surround ourselves with the people who bring out the best in us."

"Yes. My 10th brother Eun says you should love the one that makes you a better person," I said merrily. I hoped I would be good enough for her to pick me as her betrothed. I couldn't wait for her lord father to make the decision and for the announcement. I was very eager to know if that would be me.

* * *

 **(Rongjang Palace, Songak)**

~Eun's POV~

I was so delighted to see that my mother enjoyed Soo's company. But honestly, who wouldn't? Although she and I clashed heavily at first, she turned out to be a lot easier to get along with. I loved being friends with her. It must be because Soo came over that my mother was feeling much better now.

Not long after Soo went back to Wook's place, it was time for me to have dinner as well. Over dinner, my mother asked me how I felt about Hae Soo.

"Naturally I think she's a great person," I said immediately.

"You would think that of someone who beat you up?" My mother arched her eyebrows, but she wasn't challenging me. She was curious.

I giggled. "Well, I punched her too. It wasn't how a lady should have acted toward a Prince, but I didn't behave like a Prince should, either. That makes us even. And you don't know how special that makes her! She's the first ever person to treat me like this. But afterward, she was willing to spend time with me and play with me. She even welcomed me to come over to her place every day. Befriending Hae Soo was the best thing that ever happened to me. And sometimes...I want to hold her hand."

"You _like_ Lady Hae Soo," she concluded.

"I do, very much," I nodded.

"I can see that Her Ladyship has made you a better person," she said proudly.

"And we should love the one who makes us a better person," I replied, smiling.

"She's also from quite a renowned family, so I very much approve of your _friendship_ with her. But perhaps it might not be a good idea for you go beyond being friends with her, in case you will be chosen to be betrothed to Lady Hyeong of the An clan," she advised.

"I've heard. But trust me, Mother. I won't have to marry Lady Hyeong," I said mysteriously and smiled secretively.

Contrarily she frowned. "It's entirely possible, Eun-ah. You and Lady Hyeong are the closest in age. And I know you never really made your acquaintance with Her Ladyship, but you should understand that many couples are practically strangers before they get married," she explained, but I didn't think that my marriage was going to be anything like my parents'. "I don't want you to mistakenly think that it would mean you won't have to marry her."

"It's got nothing to do with that," I shook my head. "The other day, when I was with Hae Soo, she painted my fingernails with snapweed," I said and showed my fingers to my mother. "For so many hours, I couldn't move my fingers and it drove me insane. My fingers were tingling and it felt as if there were insects crawling beneath my nails. But I still sat there patiently like Soo told me to, because I know it'll all be worth it, the numbness and all. You know why that is? It's because she told me that if snapweed still sticks on my nails by the time the first snow falls, my first love will come to me. First love, she said. And I desperately want that to come true. I need to make sure I get to be together with my first love. And I know it will not be the lady from the An clan."

From the look on my mother's face, I didn't think she looked very convinced, but what I wanted was just for my first love to be with me. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Mother nodded anyway. "I see. Whether or not this truly works," she glanced at my fingertips. "I hope your wish will still come true."

"It will, Mother," I said to her most assuredly.

That night, I went to sleep contentedly. It was getting colder and the servants had changed the blankets for thicker ones. This must mean that the first snow was going to come soon. I could barely wait for it. I would make sure that the snapweed doesn't fall off, so that by the time it began to snow, no doubt Hae Soo would come to me, like she said my first love would.

* * *

 **A/n: This is the first time I attempted 5 different character's POVs in one chapter. Was there a particular character's POV in particular that you love reading in? What do y'all think of the chapter on the whole? :D**

 **P.S. It'll be announced in the next chapter who Hyeong is going to marry. And somebody's not gonna be happy about that. Who do you think that'll be, fellow readers? Tell me what you think in the reviews! See ya. :D**


	20. Hope

**(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Hae Soo's POV~

I came back from Rongjang Palace in a good mood because the 10th Prince always put me in a good mood, and even his lady mother was easy to get along with. But once I got home and Chaeryung had informed me of what had happened to Myunghee while I was out today, I regretted not staying at home with her today.

Although the maids had done as they were supposed to and attended on Myunghee, I didn't really feel reassured, and so I crept into her room very quietly just to make sure that she was warm enough. She was sound asleep, so I left after a moment. She slept through dinner as well, so it was only me and the 8th Prince at dinner, eating dispiritedly.

Even at night, I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop worrying about Myunghee. Frustrated, I got out of bed and found Prince Wook in his study. "Sorry...it's late and I don't want to bother Your Highness but…"

"Soo-ya? No, it's fine. What's wrong?" He asked tenderly as I sat beside him. I didn't dare sit _too_ near him, because if I sat too close to him then I would want to be even closer than that, and I didn't think I ought to allow myself to do that.

"I can't sleep," I shivered.

"Are you cold?" He inquired immediately. "I'll go get a shawl for you."

"No...I feel warmer already, here with you," I said, but still shuddered. "But I'm scared, Your Highness. I'm scared that I'll lose Myunghee," I explained. "Are you scared too, my Prince?"

He put down his ink brush and turned to me. "I know how you feel. I don't want to lose her either."

I shook my head and looked down. "I don't think I'll ever dare go out again. I should be attending on Myunghee day and night."

"You can't forget to look after yourself too," he replied solemnly.

"I'm not even that important, Prince Wook. I just can't bear to lose Myunghee. She means so much to me," I sighed. "I'd give anything for her to be healthy again."

"I know you would, Soo-ya. I've been trying to think about what there is I can do to at least make it easier to improve her health. I've consulted a number of court physicians about it, even," he revealed, sounding hopeful.

"You have? And what was their advice, my Prince?" I enquired.

"I think one of our best options is to move to the countryside," he answered. "As such, I'm going to speak to my father about it and see if His Majesty approves. After all, I'm expected to attend the exorcism ceremony. I'll also see what Myunghee prefers."

"The countryside..." I nodded slowly. "I wonder what it's like there."

He looked baffled. "Soo, I thought you lived in the countryside when you were little? Before your mother passed..."

Slightly embarrassed, I scratched my head and said, "eh, that was before I, you know, hit my head."

"Right," he replied, no longer befuddled. "I'm thinking we can go to Hwangju. That's where most of my maternal relatives are, and we have a residence there, so if both the King and Myunghee agree to it, then we'll move there, and I'll make the necessary arrangements."

I nodded, more confident this time. "I'm sure Your Highness will be able to do what's best for us."

"I've also heard that there's a healer in Hwangju who was able to cure even a paralyzed old man. Maybe he can help Myunghee too," he added. "There's hope, Soo. Besides, I don't think she'd be happy to see these pessimistic thoughts keeping you up at night. You know that she wants more than anything to be able to take good care of you. But if you continue to worry like that, you'll eventually fall sick too. Even if not for Myunghee, I don't want that either."

I felt reassured now, and even his tone was soothing. He made me feel safe and that I could rely on him. It did feel good that I could just count on him to make everything alright. It was a kind of comfort that I needed and only he could bring me that. I needed him in my life.

"By the way, Soo-ya, you said that you were at my 10th brother's residence today, right?" He spoke again, but sounded tentative.

"Yes," I nodded. Why'd he bring this up suddenly? He didn't further pursue this topic at dinner when I mentioned it then. "Prince Eun brought me to visit his lady mother. Why, Your Highness? Should I not have done that?" I asked, wondering if I had somehow brought trouble to Prince Wook again as I seemed to have an affinity for that.

"I see," he said absentmindedly. "I was just wondering if there's anything going on between you and...between you and Eun, since normally a Prince won't introduce a woman to his mother unless he intends to marry her."

I gaped at him slightly. "No, Your Highness! There's nothing of that sort going on between me and His Highness. The 10th Prince is my friend. That's all," I clarified. As for whether or not Prince Eun liked me more than that, he was the only one who could answer. "I'm sure His Highness didn't mean it like that. I didn't know that it would be a big deal that he was introducing me to his lady mother."

"I understand. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with being friends with Eun-ie," he replied calmly, but there seemed to be _relief_ in his tone. _Oh, Prince Wook_ , I thought to myself. _Even if I'm not allowed to show it, don't you know that my feelings are only for you? You shouldn't have doubts about that._

"I think I'll go back to sleep now, my Prince," I said softly. As I stood up, I suppressed the urge to yawn. "Goodnight, Prince Wook."

He gave me a light smile. "Goodnight, Soo."

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

The next morning, the official announcement that I was to marry the 14th Prince was released.

Very soon after, a maid sent by Queen Yu from Naklang Palace had come to my home to deliver the message that the Queen was going to have dinner with me and Prince Jung tonight. This was not an invitation I could turn down.

"Calm down, sister," said Geolsang to me while our mother rummaged through my wardrobe looking for something suitable to wear for my meeting this evening. "You'll be fine. Just relax."

"Relax? It's easy for you to say," I squeaked and sat on the edge of my bed, utterly uneasy.

"I don't see what you're so stressed about. Just take it easy. If the King gave you his permission, the Queen won't have any objections," he stated coolly.

"You don't understand. Don't you remember how our meeting with the King had traumatized me? They say the Queen is as formidable as the King is...I don't like the feeling of my palms sweating and my limbs shaking and my voice trembling," I shook my head uncomfortably.

"But Prince Jung will be with you. I'm sure he'll have plenty of nice things to say about you," Geolsang replied.

"I don't know. I could accidentally say or do something that could offend or displease the Queen. I can't stop being worried about that," I admitted.

Suddenly Woljin came into my room with a secretive smile on her face which made me so curious about what news she bore that I had neglected to worry about my big event tonight.

"My Lady," said Woljin innocently. "You have a visitor."

My mother and my brother nodded at me as they stayed in my room while I went downstairs with Woljin. I was surprised to see that it was the 3rd Prince Yo, and even more surprised when it hit me that I hadn't been thinking of him these two days, as all that I'd been thinking about was my betrothal and Geolha's courtship with the Princess, as well as Myunghee's sickness.

I bowed at Prince Yo but before I could so much as utter 'Your Highness', sternly he had asked me if we could go somewhere to speak in private. I sent Woljin back upstairs, and then led the 3rd Prince to a courtyard where servants seldom passed by.

"Hyeong-ah," he began. Although he was addressing me affectionately, his tone was just as icy as his stare, so much unlike the way he used to speak to and look at me. It felt so wrong, and it almost made me feel as anxious as I did just now, about dinner with the Queen. He was capable of coming off as so untouchable and aloof. Was that why some people at Court feared him?

"Your Highness," I said dazedly. I didn't know what else to say to him. We both looked grim and that was not good news.

He took a long pause, and used that time to take a good look at me. The way he looked at me made me feel like he was singling me out whilst everything else in the courtyard faded and vanished. Therefore I was also compelled to cast out everything else on my mind to focus singularly on him. Without saying anything he had _commanded_ my full attention.

Finally, he spoke.

"I want to congratulate you on your betrothal to my little brother," he said, but his voice sounded like...something was a little off. "Really, I want to, but I can't bring myself to do it," he continued.

"Are you displeased with my choice, my Prince?" I asked gingerly.

"I'm displeased that you went with it so willingly," he revealed. "Do you not realize that your betrothal to Jung means that I won't be able to take you out on dates anymore?"

"I never thought it was that serious to you, Prince Yo," I confessed. "I had to go with it and pick someone anyway. The King himself told my lord father to choose, and my father let me choose. I don't think Your Highness would have felt better had I chosen somebody else."

"You're right about that," he said cynically. "No matter who you pick, I still won't be happy. I didn't expect you to be married off so soon, so about that, I'm disappointed. I thought we could have more time together."

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I really don't know why this is affecting you so much," I said quietly.

"Why _wouldn't_ this affect me? Why would I have asked you out on a date with me if I weren't interested in you?" He retorted, poking me with his words like spikes. "Lady Hyeong, if you were just slightly uglier, your temperament just a bit more difficult, your personality just a little less endearing, this wouldn't bother me so much."

"Why are you telling me this now, my Prince?" I questioned. I was really upset now. "I don't understand what Your Highness is trying to achieve. Strictly speaking, we aren't even friends, are we? Maybe we're a little more than acquaintances, but at the end of the day, I'm just one of your subjects, and soon to be your sister in law."

"I don't want it to be that way," he raised his voice in displeasure.

"I don't know what you want from me!" I almost exclaimed. This was making me so confused and frustrated that there were tears in my eyes threatening to spill.

"You can't just give me your pretty smiles and say you want to be in my arms, and then tell me the next day that you're going to get married to my brother!" He snarled at me. "You're not allowed to do that!" He put his hands on my shoulders and had me cornered. A tree was right behind me so I couldn't move backward. My head moved slightly from left to right as my eyes would have done, trying to look for escape, but somehow I just couldn't tear my eyes off of him, even if it frightened me to look at him when he was so angry.

He must have noticed that I was shaking. I saw it on his face that he felt bad about it, so he pulled me in and squeezed me in his arms. My cheek was pressed against his chest and that had forced a teardrop to slide down my face. I didn't want to let him know that I was crying so I buried my face into his torso. But I couldn't stop sniffling, so he still knew. He must think that I was weak and irresponsible now. Why should I be crying when everything seemed to be going well for me? I chose who I wanted to marry and I got the King's blessing for it. I should have nothing to complain about. Except I couldn't meet with Prince Yo like we used to, once I got married. I thought about it and had to agree that the way that His Highness and I acted toward each other was not something that a man would accept if his wife was acting like that with his brother. I then remembered all the nights that I went to sleep with the 3rd Prince as my last thought, and waking up in the morning with him as my first thought. I didn't even know how he managed to get under my skin, but I would not like to have to limit myself to interactions between us that would be characteristic of siblings in law. Now I understood why he was so upset and angry when he came here today. I clung to him as I cried, clawing and clutching the sleeves of his hanbok. But after a moment, I pushed him away from me. It took me a few attempts to get him to let go of me and take a step back.

"We shouldn't be doing this anymore," I stated, and tried to sound resolute, except there was no way I could do that since my voice was shaky. "If we stop now, we can still get over it and move on."

He shook his head. That one gesture alone was firmer than any words I could utter. In addition to his intense stare at me, it only reminded me of the first time we met.

"Why would you give up on me so easily? Is it because you were never interested in me at all?" He demanded.

"It's not that…" I said breathily.

"Then you have reason to reconsider," he asserted. "These nights, there's some work that the King wants me to complete speedily, so instead of sleeping in Gyeongchun Palace I will be burning the midnight oil and working overnight in the study in Joyun Hall, which is right behind Cheondeok Hall. If you ever change your mind about me, Hyeong-ah," he said. The soft and affectionate gaze in his eyes was restored. "You can come to me anytime."

It would have been so much easier if I just found the strength in me to say no to him right away. But he had walked away from me and left my residence as soon as he had put forward his offer to me. And it was such a tempting offer, but how could I do that to my newly betrothed? It wouldn't be fair to Prince Jung who had never done me wrong. I needed to talk to him about this. He was my betrothed now. I wouldn't have chosen him if I couldn't trust him and confide in him. Tonight, I would speak to him about how we were going to make our marriage work.

* * *

 **A/n: Well! What do you think? What should Hyeong do? Give her some advice in the reviews below please! :D**


	21. Clueless

**(Howon Palace, Songak)**

~Baekah's POV~

I woke up to good news this morning. I caught word of the announcement that my youngest brother Jung was going to get married! Most of us must have heard the news already, but right now I was the only one at Jung's residence congratulating him.

"Our 4th brother So and I were talking about it yesterday and we kind of predicted that it'd be you. And we were right," I said smugly.

"I don't know what I've ever done to deserve her, but she picked me! I get to marry her! Baekah-ya, you don't know how awesome that is," Jung gushed. He was grinning from ear to ear and his eyes were like thin lines now as the smile on his face was so wide. I was really happy for him too; he did like Lady Hyeong a lot.

"You knew that she'd pick you, right?" I asked him as we sat down and chatted. "I mean, she's closest to you. You see her very often. It makes sense that she'd make this decision."

"I couldn't have known for sure! I mean, I'm not sure if she likes that I'm younger than her. And then did you know that for a while I thought she fancied you?" Jung revealed.

"What?" I laughed. "That's impossible. What could possibly have given you that idea?"

"You know that she never really liked reading, but a couple of weeks ago I found her in the study in the middle of some books that she'd borrowed from you. To make her do something that she wouldn't normally like doing...I thought it must be because she likes you," he admitted, but realized how silly it sounded now.

"No way," I chuckled. "I've realized that she's not really that into reading. And that's alright. I guess that just makes her the perfect pair with you, huh?"

He beamed. "She and I are compatible indeed."

"What are your feelings for her though?" I inquired.

"Baekah, you know how I feel about her. She knows how to appreciate me. She's genial and genteel and generous. She always does nice things for our 9th brother Won and his family and she doesn't ask for anything in return. She's like that to everyone around her, even those that she's not very close with, like Lady Jo Sinye or Lady Hae Soo. She's kind to her servants too. You can see that from the way she treats her handmaiden. She has a kind heart and she makes me want to protect her."

Just as I had expected, he only had good things to say about Hyeong. I would only have good things to say about Myunghee too. Speaking of, I should really go to Yeondeok Palace to check on her this afternoon. I needed the reassurance that she was feeling better. I was getting angry that she had consulted so many doctors already but still, her health continued to worsen.

"I wish you a very long and happy life with her then. Many of us may learn to like the person we marry, but you get to marry the person you already like. I hope you realize you're very fortunate," I remarked.

"I know I'm blessed," he smiled proudly. "And you know, my mother the Queen will be meeting Hyeong this evening."

"I hope it all goes well for you and her tonight then," I smiled and patted him on the back. "But I want to ask you this, Jung-ah. You like her so much, but does she know that? And do you know if she likes you back?"

The expression on Jung's face had told me that he didn't have a single clue.

* * *

 **(Naklang Palace, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

The 14th Prince Jung walked his newly betrothed, Lady Hyeong, to his mother the Queen's residence. On the way, Hyeong clutched the bouquet in her hand tightly, as she felt that it was about to slip out from her hands because of her sweaty palms. She whispered to the Prince hesitantly, "Your Highness is certain the Queen would like the flowers, right?"

"Yes, flowers can't go wrong," said the 14th Prince reassuringly.

"Good," Hyeong nodded, and inhaled deeply to calm herself down.

Prince Jung wanted to make his betrothed feel more at ease, but then he also couldn't get it out of his mind the way his mother spoke to his 4th brother, _her own son_ , the other day. Jung wouldn't dare to chastise his mother of course, but he really did hope that she wouldn't treat Hyeong the way she treated Prince So.

"Are you sure these flowers aren't triggering an allergy, Hyeong-ah? Your eyes seem a little swollen…" Prince Jung pointed out.

"No, no, I'm fine," Hyeong replied quickly. She didn't want to have to explain that she had been crying just now.

Upon their arrival, a maid led the both of them into the dining room where the Queen sat waiting. Jung proudly presented Hyeong to his mother, and Hyeong was careful to follow all of the formalities that were expected of her when greeting the Queen and meeting her for the first time. Hyeong found the Queen to be quite beautiful even though she must be around 40 years old now. Still, Hyeong couldn't help but shiver in fear, as the Queen's beauty was even more unsettling and unnerving. Hyeong remembered that Princess Yeonhwa was beautiful too, but ugly and horrific was the mercilessness when Her Highness whipped Lady Hae Soo and her maid Chaeryung.

Accepting the bouquet from Hyeong, the Queen looked truly pleased. "I like bluebells a lot. They're very pretty, just like you," she said to her future daughter in law, who smiled politely and said her thanks. Hyeong glanced at Jung unsurely, but there was certainty in the way he grasped her hand under the table. She was gripping his hand so tightly that he could feel the blood pumping through his fingers' veins with every heartbeat. He was relatively relaxed, but she was the opposite of relaxed.

However, even though the Queen praised Hyeong, she didn't like bluebells because of their sweet scent or because they were nice to look at. In truth, it was because of what bluebells signified: humility. It reminded the Queen that she was above many others. In fact, only the King and nobody else was above her, and she was immensely pleased about that.

The maids began to serve each dish for dinner, but when one of them was about to pour tea, Hyeong had stopped the maid and offered to do it herself. With delicate, gentle hands, she poured tea for the Queen, then for Prince Jung, and finally into her own cup. Hyeong had hoped that the Queen would interpret this as a sign of subservience, reckoning reckoned it would be in her best interests to get in the good graces of such a redoubtable figure. She had to bear in mind that she only got the blessing to be betrothed to a Prince because her family was in the King's favor, and she better do everything she could to keep it that way. After her brother Lord Geolha had confided in her the other night, she was learning to have the awareness that the family's interests would always trump her personal preferences.

"It pleases me to see that you are quiet and reserved and polite, Lady Hyeong. I'm happy to welcome you into our family. But I think it would be nice for us to get to know each other better," said the Queen. By that, she really meant that she wanted to know how easily controllable this young lady was.

"Yes, my Queen," Hyeong replied softly and demurely. Apart from those words and 'thank you', there wasn't much else she dared say. It would be better to hold her tongue than risk saying the wrong thing or speaking out of turn.

"What do you like to do in your spare time, Lady Hyeong?" The Queen enquired. Although her tone was tender, she could certainly sound very threatening and intimidating if she wanted to, and Hyeong would never desire to make that happen.

"I sometimes draw," Hyeong answered. It was true that she used to draw with Lady Myunghee and the 13th Prince Baekah, but honestly she hadn't done that in a while since Myunghee fell ill. "And I like to play chess," she added.

The Queen nodded in approval. "Do you read a lot?"

Hyeong dreaded this question. Whilst she was trying hard to come up with a response that would mitigate her disadvantage, Jung intercepted and decided to make a lighthearted statement. "Mother, if Hyeong liked reading, wouldn't she have chosen Baekah instead of me?"

The Queen smiled at her youngest child, but also because she was hoping that Hyeong was not a bookworm. The less she read, the less knowledgeable about politics she would be, and this meant she would be less likely to interfere with politics, which in turn meant that the Queen herself would get to call the shots when she'd become the Queen Mother, which she'd planned all her life. No matter which one of her two sons became King, as long as one of them sat securely on the throne, she would be the most powerful woman in Goryeo as the mother of the monarch. This was the only thing she had ever wanted. But in order to get that, she needed to make sure that her two sons' wives and concubines had to be tractable, in case any of them wanted to follow her footsteps by marrying the King and overtake her in power. Now, she felt safe in the knowledge that this little lady of the An clan would not cause problems. Hyeong had passed the test. For the rest of the meal, she was safe. As for the possibility that she'd be reduced to becoming one of the Queen's puppets when it was expedient, there was really nothing she could do to protect herself from that.

* * *

 **(Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~King Taejo's POV~

I was having dinner on my own tonight, as usual. In my mind, I kept replaying the scene this morning when I met with Lord An and his daughter Lady Hyeong to make it official that Her Ladyship would be marrying my youngest son, the 14th Prince Jung.

To me, it didn't matter that much which son was chosen. I gave my approval and blessing anyway, but it was something else that really caught and haunted my attention. Someone else, actually. I couldn't get the image out of my mind.

In the morning, when I made my way to the Assembly Chamber where I would grant them an audience, at the door I already saw them waiting. Lord An was a familiar face, so there was nothing special. His daughter kept her head down in deference once she saw me, but her maid, standing right behind her, was slower to react, and still kept her head up for a moment before realizing she was supposed to bow. But that one moment was enough to catch me off guard. I was completely taken aback by how much she looked like Sooyeon. The young Oh Sooyeon that I, as an obscure colonel, was in love with so many years ago. I was so stunned that I thought I was going to have another collapse. I contained myself at that time, but for the rest of today I was troubled by what I had seen.

Did I really see what I thought I saw? Or were my eyes deceiving me? Was this just a trick of the light?

I knew I was getting older and my eyesight wasn't as good as it used to be, but for every excuse I would give, at every attempt I made to shove this thought away, at the back of my mind the urge to believe my eyes would resurface, and it was agonizing.

I placed my chopsticks on the tray and rubbed my temples tiredly as I thought about what Sooyeon had said to me the last time we really had a meaningful conversation, the last time she spoke to me as Sooyeon rather than as Court Lady Oh. She seemed so sure that we would have had a daughter had this child been allowed to live. It could just have been her wishful thinking, and I wouldn't blame her for that, but the maid I saw today — if Sooyeon had a daughter with me, I wouldn't have a single doubt that that was exactly what she would have looked like. And that thought gave me chills and made me feel guilty for allowing our unborn baby to be murdered, and for letting my first Queen get away with it.

But what if our child wasn't murdered? What if the Queen didn't succeed? What if it wasn't an _unborn_ baby that Sooyeon was talking about; that's why she was so certain of the gender of the child?

Sooyeon, what secrets were you keeping from me?

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Dun-dun-dun! Isn't it nice that Baekah and Jung got to bond? \^o^/**

 **As for Court Lady Oh's daughter...is she really alive somewhere out there? Could she be physically/geographically closer to her real parents than they think? :O**

 **Now, dear readers, I would _really_ like to know: did this chapter make you ship Hyeong with Jung more? Cuz there's gonna be more in the next chapter! So stay tuned and don't forget to shoot me a review! :D**


	22. Happy

**(En route to Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" asked the 14th Prince as he walked me back home.

"It could've been way worse, but it's definitely a lot better with Your Highness by my side," I said in relief. Deep breaths were needed.

"I'm glad I made it better. I'm always going to be by your side, Hyeong-ah. We're going to be husband and wife soon. Of course we'll be with each other and support each other," he said sincerely.

"It is truly a blessing that I will have a husband as supportive and understanding as you, my Prince," I sighed.

"If you truly feel that way, why do you seem upset?" He asked, sounding so concerned.

"I just...I'm not sure if I'm ready to go into this marriage, you know?" I said, gesticulating as if that would help me express myself better when I didn't even know what it was that I wanted to express. I had made up my mind to speak to him about marrying him when I was more interested in pursuing or continuing an unofficial more-than-friends relationship with another, but that didn't mean I knew exactly what to say or how to phrase it. I felt like an illiterate, uncivilized wildling now. It was difficult finding the words because this was such a delicate topic and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Not to mention that even though I had the expectation that I would be married off _soon_ , this was still too soon for me.

"Hyeong-ah, I know that you didn't ask to be married and it was just arranged for you by the King and your parents once you're old enough. I know you've talked about this matter before, but maybe this is still too sudden for you. If you feel that way, I can understand. The good thing is, we'll still be waiting a few months till I turn 16. Perhaps we can use this time to get used to one another," he suggested. The more sympathetic he was, the harder it was for me to get my feelings out.

"That sounds reassuring, but there are still some concerns that I need to voice out to Your Highness. I just don't know how," I admitted helplessly.

"In that case, how about I go first? I have something to say to you too," he revealed.

I nodded, simply because I didn't know what else I could say or do.

We stopped in our tracks. Although he faced me, I did catch him glancing down at my hands as if he was hesitating and wondering if he should hold my hand like he did just now when his mother the Queen was interviewing me. He ended up not reaching for my hands, and I soon found out why.

"Hyeong-ah, I'm not sure if what I'm about to say will be of any comfort to you, but since we are expected to marry in a few months' time, we may as well get used to confiding in each other, and go through everything together, both the good and the bad. That's how I'd want my marriage to be like, so I'm going to start by being honest with you about how I feel about you," he began. He was eloquent and articulated his thoughts almost effortlessly, yet it didn't feel as if his speech was planned. Just how did he do it? How come _I_ couldn't do it?

"You know that Geolsang and I have been playmates since we were kids. But it wasn't until recently that he became interested in martial arts and asked me to teach and train him. It was because of him that you and I got to see each other more often. And gradually...I stopped seeing you as a playmate's elder sister, when I realized I wanted to see you and talk to you even if it weren't for Geolsang. I don't think I can really pinpoint a moment and say that that was exactly when I had fallen for you. It was more like a collage of moments, like when Geolsang and I were wrestling in the courtyard and you personally wiped the sweat off my face using your handkerchief, or when you'd deliberately prepare fruit juice for me when you know I'd be coming over, or even when I'm not coming over you'd still send custard tarts to my residence for me because you know that's my favorite. You probably did all these things without thinking much of it, just that I needed it, and I wouldn't be surprised if you do this with more people than just me, but it was these little things you did for me that touched my heart. Now you have a special place in my heart. You were willing to take care of me, and this makes me want to protect you, not only physically, but also to guard your pure and kind heart. You are someone that I want to look after, so when you picked me as your betrothed, honestly it's the best thing that has ever happened to me," he confessed.

There was no way I was as lovely or as saintly as he had made me out to be. I felt so remorseful for making him feel this way about me when I wasn't ready to return his affections to the same extent. I was never ready to fall for anyone or to be on the receiving end of anybody's affections.

Nonplussed, I stared at him blankly and waited for him to continue. "I know that you've only ever seen me as a friend, probably just your younger brother's playmate, but that's fine with me. Even if you want to live as friends after we get married, I would agree to it. I want you to be assured that it doesn't matter to me that you don't feel the same way about me. I didn't fall for you just so I could make you fall for me in return. They say that when you love someone, you put that person's happiness before your own. And that's most certainly how I feel about you."

As much as I had tried to repress my tears, they had fallen a second time today. I hated myself for being so weak, for crying so easily. I just couldn't believe that Prince Jung could be so selfless. More importantly I didn't deserve his selfless love. I _couldn't_ accept his affections. Even though I could give him my hand in marriage, I still felt like I owed him my heart, but I _couldn't_ give him my heart because he was not the one that I thought about day and night and get excited about when anticipating an upcoming meeting. I would be indebted to the 14th Prince as long as he had love for me. This agony must be punishment for not being able to love him as he loved me.

"How could that be?" I protested. I was choking up and I was so annoyed by how whiny my voice sounded. "How could you not seek reciprocation? I don't understand it. And what if the person you love ends up falling for somebody else? What would you do then?"

He smiled warmly, which made more tears fall from my eyes. I wished I could blur my vision completely so I didn't have to see his face because I just couldn't face him right now.

"If my love falls for another, I don't think I can be anything but happy for her, because she's found someone who can make her happier than I can. You'd only fall in love because being with that person makes you happier than you are on your own or with anybody else. If you want to be with that person instead of with me, it's only because you're thinking for your own happiness. You're not under the obligation to think for mine," he said calmly and tenderly, reaching out to stroke my hair that the wind had blew onto my face, his knuckles inadvertently brushing past my tears.

"But I...I don't want to make you unhappy," I said adamantly. "As your future wife, I will not want to bring you even an iota of unhappiness."

"The only way you can make me unhappy is if you are not happy. I will do everything in my power to make you smile," he explained. "Even if it means sending you into the arms of another."

I cried even harder at that, and spluttered. "How can you even bear to do that?" I asked incredulously. "I just don't get it."

"I can do anything as long as it's what makes you happy. All _you_ have to do is let me love you. I thought I'd only be allowed to do that from afar, because I never thought that you could be mine, even if it's just in marriage. Now I can give you all my love as your future husband. It would mean I get to see you every day and nothing can make me happier. That's why I ask for nothing more, and nothing in return."

I just wanted to curl up in fetal position and cry. Here he was, professing his love for me and extolling me as if I were flawless. I was not! I couldn't even begin to comprehend the depth of his love for me. All I was doing was listening to him selectively, because in my heart, _selfishly_ , so very, very selfishly, I just wanted to hear him say that it would be alright with him if I were to have a liaison with Prince Yo. Selfish. Selfish was what I was. And shame on me for that.

I felt so sorry for Jung, for being so blinded by my 'good', my few acts of generosity and kindness that he couldn't see my bad, that at my core I only cared about myself. I only wanted his tacit approval of my prospective infidelity to absolve myself of some degree of remorse. His love for me, on the other hand, was the purest thing in the world, and I was the last person to be worthy of that. I regretted choosing him as my husband. He deserved better than a wife like me.

I almost gasped when I suddenly realized that what I was doing right now was no better than Geolha's behavior that I had called out on, when he was still married to Nangyung. He was in love with another, and his apathy toward his wife had left her heartbroken. Actually, I was worse. I was catching feelings for the 3rd Prince and getting attached, and I was exploiting the 14th Prince unrequited, selfless love to get him to allow me to have an extramarital affair. What kind of a person was I?

"I'm sorry if I've overwhelmed you. You probably didn't expect to hear the thoughts that I've been keeping to myself for some time," he sighed.

"No, please don't apologize," I begged. I didn't need to feel worse, and more importantly, he had never done anything wrong.

"Clearly, a lot is on your mind right now. Why don't you sleep on it? You can organize your thoughts first and then talk to me tomorrow. Whenever you need me, you know where to find me, and I'll be there for you," he suggested, and put an arm around me. "Come on, let's get you home."

* * *

 **(Okrin Palace, Songak)**

~Jung's POV~

The next morning, I hurried over not to Hyunhui Mansion but to my 9th brother's residence because I had promised him that I'd visit. In any case, last night had been stressful, so I thought my nephews could cheer me up.

"I never thought you'd need cheering up, Jung-ah," said Won as he sat down with me. "Aren't you supposed to be rejoicing that Hyeong-ie decided that she wanted to be betrothed to you? I know you like her."

"I do like her. But do you think it's a problem that she doesn't like me back?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"Like? Or love?" He raised his eyebrows. "My wives don't necessarily love me, but they tolerate me. Hyeong-ie will too. She chose you. It means she's determined to make it work, one way or another. I know my best friend. She wants a romance like in children's tales. She wants the man of her dreams to come along to sweep her off her feet and lead her up the stairwell...you know, silly stuff like that."

I wondered if I could be that man for her, or if she didn't like me back because she couldn't see in me what she wanted.

When I merely looked down and didn't say anything, my 9th brother continued. "Jung-ah, I don't see why you're worried. She's from a good family. It'll be a good marriage. Other factors don't really matter that much. I can tell you, after the first night, they're all the same, really."

I frowned now. "I don't intend to take another wife though."

"Oh, really?" He folded his arms challengingly. "Our 3rd brother said the same thing after marrying his first wife Lady Park. Within the year, he's married Lady Jo already," he pointed out grimly.

"Well, there are many things about Yo that I like, but I am not him. I don't think he loves Lady Park, but I love Hyeong-ie," I stated firmly.

"If that's true, then good, but...I don't know, Jung. You're too young. You don't know your feelings, and you aren't ready for marriage. Nor is she," said Won gravely.

"What should I do then?" I enquired. I did feel kind of lost. And Won was right; Hyeong did admit to not feeling ready about getting married, last night.

"You don't need to do anything. You're happy about this engagement, right? Just leave it at that," he shrugged.

"But it's not all about my own happiness. I want _her_ to be happy too," I replied.

"Then...let her do what she wants. I'm happiest when I get to do whatever I want, and my wives are fine with it. Don't you see how trapped some people feel within their marriages, Jung?" He asked, with a light sigh. "The only remedy is freedom. You could give Hyeong-ie that, as long as it's in your power to do so."

"Won-ah, I know that you're closest to her. You've been best friends with her since forever. Do you think I'll ever stand a chance at being the one and only man to make her happy?" I inquired. "It doesn't have to be right now. It could be in the future. I'm going to be hers for the rest of my life anyway."

He sat back and took a good look at me. "You've a good heart, Jung. You'll make any woman happy."

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

Yesterday, a maid had come to Hyunhui Mansion to let Hyeong know about a meeting with Queen Yu. This morning, a maid from Yeondeok Palace had come to me to inform me of a meeting too. It turned out Queen Hwangbo wanted to have an audience with me. Naturally they were interested in meeting me as, if nothing would go my way, I could well be her son-in-law in due course. I went to Yeondeok Palace then and found that the 8th Prince Wook would be joining us as well, but the Princess herself was with His Majesty the King at the moment and would be back later.

"Good morning, Your Highness," I said to the 8th Prince. I heard only good things about him so I wasn't displeased about having to talk to him. Hopefully I would find it easier to get along with him than with his sister.

"Good morning, Lord Geolha. I wanted to meet you personally and make my acquaintance with you before I have to leave Songak. As you might've heard, my wife Lady Hae Myunghee is ill. We decided that it would be better for her health if we move to Hwangju in the countryside. My father the King's Majesty has permitted our departure from Court for this purpose, and my absence from the exorcism ceremony is pardoned. Her cousin, Lady Hae Soo, will be coming with us, but my royal sister will remain here at Court," Prince Wook explained.

"I see. In any case, I am pleased to meet you, Your Highness, and I wish you and your family good health," I replied politely.

As we chatted, I found out that Prince Wook liked poetry. Instantly I liked him a lot better. He even mentioned me as one of his favorite poets! Well, he didn't know it was me, but he mentioned Yoon Tae and I was so flattered. I could actually be friends with him, but instead I was only here to court his sister that I hated. What a pity.

His mother the Queen was also a respectable and gracious woman. Although we still shared a formal relationship and it would always be that way, I just instinctively felt that she wasn't domineering or temperamental like her daughter was.

Honestly, with such a congenial mother and such a gentle-mannered brother, where did Princess Yeonhwa's fiery personality come from?

It was exactly when we wrapped up our meeting and I was about to take my leave that Her Highness had returned. The Queen then entrusted her royal daughter to me and went back to Myungbok Palace, while Prince Wook left the room too to attend his wife, leaving me and Princess Yeonhwa alone in the vestibule.

I stood to bow at her while she merely eyed me condescendingly, as usual. I hadn't expected anything less haughty from her. Disappointed but not surprised. After all, this was the very person who deemed me a fool for putting love first and for not having the same priorities as she did.

"I see the King has sent a fool to court me," she said sardonically. "Luckily, this fool has status and wealth."

"This fool has good looks too, I might add, if it pleases Your Highness to be so shallow," I shot back daringly, but made sure my tone sounded more neutral than thorny.

She raised her eyebrows at me, and seemed more entertained by my comment than skeptical of it.

"Good looks?" She plastered a smile on her face, covering the vestige of a giggle. "You are tolerable, Lord Geolha, but not handsome enough to tempt _me_ ," she remarked dismissively. "I am in no humour at present to give consequence to fools, with or without good looks. You had better return to the Ministry of Arts and Humanities, for you are wasting your time with someone as _shallow_ as me," she added. My barb must have struck a chord, then?

She turned on her heel again. She just wasn't in the mood for my presence today, then. I took my chance to leave her residence and hurried home. My goodness. I couldn't stand her attitude. I needed to find a way to terminate this courtship as soon as possible.

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Jung finally told Hyeong about his feelings for her! What do you think of that, fellow readers? Do you agree with our 14th Prince's mentality? :o**

 **Don't forget that Yo's offer still stands and Hyeong can still go to him if she wants to be with him. She now faces a tough choice. Who would you choose to be with if you were her? Tell me in the reviews below! ^.^**


	23. With A Heavy Heart

**(Gyeongchun Palace, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

Today was going to be a long day for me. I had to meet with my father the King in the morning, and after that have lunch with my mother the Queen. In the afternoon, we'd have our final rehearsal for our dance performance at the exorcism ritual. Mother and I had planned something additional, but of course it couldn't be rehearsed. Then I'd have dinner with my Uncle Shikryeom, and at night I had to get work done. I really needed a nutritious breakfast to give me enough energy to get through the day, especially since I didn't get much sleep these days. I would never utter a single word of complaint though. I could cope with this workload. When the time would come for me to be King, I'd be even busier. This right now was nothing.

By the time I'd finished my breakfast and was about to leave for Cheondeok Hall, my son Woongdo had only just got up from bed. He was still sleepy, but once he saw me, he let go of his mother's hand and ran to me.

"Appa!" He called out loudly. I smiled and crouched to pick him up. I could spare a minute for him in spite of my packed schedule.

"Woongdo, be good. Say goodbye to your appa," said Moongong sternly to our son. My lady wife was trying her best to be a good mother to our kids. I might not say it aloud, but I knew that she was doing her best, and I appreciated that, but I didn't make it a priority to show her my gratitude. These days I felt that she just wanted to keep her distance from me anyway. If space was what she needed...the least I could do was give her that.

Woongdo, however, didn't think he needed to say goodbye. "Appa, play," he tugged at my sleeve.

I sighed. It wasn't that I didn't want to play with him. I really couldn't make time for that.

"Woongdo-ya, your appa is busy. But Appa will play with you when he gets home tonight, isn't that right?" Moongong said as she petted our little son's head softly, glancing at me.

"I'm sorry. I won't be home tonight," I said curtly.

Moongong didn't give me any response, but a lack of response, in and of itself, is already a response. It didn't take a genius to figure out she was disappointed.

Although she didn't say anything in reply, she placed the back of her hand on my forehead, which made me frown but I didn't flinch nor I would tell her to back off.

"I don't have a fever," I insisted.

"I'm just checking," she stated plainly. "Your Highness wasn't feeling well yesterday."

It was true that I wasn't feeling my best yesterday, but Moongong didn't know why, so naturally she thought I was sick. In truth, it was because I didn't know what was to become of me and Hyeong now that she was betrothed to Jung. Actually, it didn't matter that it was Jung, only that she was betrothed to another. I thought she and I could have been something more, because if she weren't interested in me, why would she flirt with me? Why would she allow me to tease her?

I only needed one arm to carry Woongdo so I used my free hand to grab Moongong's. She made a half-hearted attempt to withdraw her hand from my grasp but didn't verbally protest. This meant that she wasn't eager to have physical contact with me, but it didn't repel her. I looked her in the eye and said, "you still care about me, don't you?"

"No, Your Highness. I just don't want you to pass it on to our son in case you really are ill," she explained monotonously.

Oh, well. I handed Woongdo over to Moongong, but not before tapping his nose to make him giggle and saying to him, "appa has to go to work. You're the man of the house now. Be good to your eomeoni. Don't bully Younggi," I instructed seriously, yet he pouted at the mention of his infant sister. "Appa will see you tomorrow."

With that, I got on with the rest of my day. I hoped that by the end of the day, Lady Hyeong would come to me and tell me that she wanted to be something more with me.

* * *

 **(Assembly Chamber, Cheondeok Hall, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

"Your Majesty? Are you alright?" asked Choi Jimong urgently. The King was barely able to adjourn the meeting with the council this morning. He was visibly paler than usual today.

"My headache is back again," King Taejo mumbled faintly. "I can't concentrate anymore. Cancel all the plans for the rest of today."

"I'll send word to inform the 3rd Prince that Your Majesty is indisposed. Perhaps Your Majesty would feel better to lie down for a while," he suggested, and helped the King back to his chambers.

"Jimong," King Taejo uttered worriedly, staring at the ceiling. "Is it my time?"

"No, Your Majesty! Of course not," the astronomer answered hastily.

"I don't want to leave this world yet," King Taejo grunted faintly. "Last time I collapsed, one of my concubines went to a temple to pray for me."

"Yes, it was Lady Dongsanwon, Your Majesty," Jimong nodded.

"I recovered quickly last time," King Taejo's voice was a weak whisper now and Jimong had to lean closer to hear what the King was saying. Luckily the King didn't have to express himself explicitly for the astronomer to get it.

"I'll ask Lady Dongsanwon to pray for Your Majesty," Jimong replied, but the King had already fallen asleep.

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Baekah's POV~

Since Myunghee was going to be leaving Songak for Hwangju with my 8th brother Wook and her cousin Lady Soo tomorrow, I decided to pay her a visit.

"Make sure you've brought your thickest and warmest clothes with you, Myunghee," I said seriously. "It could be much colder in the countryside."

"Certainly," she nodded, smiling. "You take care too, Prince Baekah."

"I will. And you'll write to me often while you're in Hwangju, won't you?" I asked, even though deep inside I knew that it might not be convenient for the two of us to exchange letters directly.

"I'll make sure to send my regards to you through my husband's letters to you and your other royal siblings, Your Highness," she promised.

"Good. Because I'm going to miss you...and you know that, right?"

"I'll miss you too, my Prince," she replied warmly, but not with the same kind of affection that I had for her.

I smiled anyway, since I knew she couldn't give me what I could give her. I guessed I was largely at peace with that. It wasn't stopping me from loving her.

I decided to show her the drawing of her I'd done last time before she had a coughing fit and needed to lie down. It was such a horrible memory. I didn't want her to have to relive that, whether or not it was when I was around. I'd never tell her that, but I did get nightmares, and whenever I'd wake up from one of those, I'd just hope and pray that Myunghee would be getting the sleep and rest that she needed. That was what mattered to me.

"You draw me prettier than I actually look, Prince Baekah," she commented.

 _No, my drawings don't do your beauty justice_ , I wanted to say, but didn't. If she understood that if she could see herself through my eyes...it would be totally different.

"I'm not _that_ good," I ended up saying that, lightheartedly.

"But you keep getting better and better at portraits, my Prince," she pointed out. "That's very good."

"You're proud of me, then?" I asked cheerily.

"I am proud of you, yes," she nodded and beamed. "And you should be proud of yourself too, Your Highness."

I grinned. "I've been playing the gayageum more often these days. After some practice, I hope I've improved. Perhaps I could play something for you right now, if you'd like that?"

"If it pleases Your Highness, I would be delighted," she smiled. What a cheerful and graceful smile she had. And it was for me. It made me so happy. She made me happier than anybody could.

In the middle of the tune I was playing, however, one of the strings snapped, and cut my finger. I hissed and withdrew my hand.

"Your Highness!" Myunghee gasped and worriedly inspected my wound, handing me her handkerchief. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing," I answered, trying to reassure her as I attempted to stop the bleeding. Luckily I had been the one playing when the string had snapped. If it had been her instead…

"This gayageum is so old already. I should've just kept it here as something to look at, not to play. I am sorry, my Prince," she said sadly.

"No, no, you don't have to apologize. It's not your fault anyway," I replied hastily. "I know this gayageum means a lot to you because it was what your late parents left for you. But, Myunghee, I think I can fix the string. Would you mind if I brought this back to my residence? I know you're going to leave Court soon but I can deliver this to your residence in Hwangju as soon as I get it fixed."

She hesitated. "I wouldn't want to trouble Your Highness."

"Myunghee, it's no trouble, I want to do this for you," I emphasized. "Will you let me?"

"I thank Your Highness for that. But it's too much to ask for you to bring this all the way to Hwangju for me. Actually, the doctors said that as soon as my coughs cease, I will be fit once more to return to the royal court. By then I'll come back and go to Seongmok Palace to collect it myself. How does that sound, Prince Baekah?" She counter-offered.

"It's decided then," I agreed, smiling. "I will be waiting for you, Myunghee."

* * *

 **(Dongsanwon, Songak)**

~Moongong's POV~

After Woongdo and Younggi had had their breakfast, I left them with my younger sister, Moonsung, while I was invited to go to our elder sister Moongeum's residence. As Lady Dongsanwon, she was just one of the King's many concubines, and she had no children of her own, she was often bored if it weren't for the poems that she read. I'd visit her as often as I could, when my kids would give me a break. Though of course I would rather entrust them to their young aunt's and nursemaids' care than leave them alone at home when _Lady Sinye_ was there. A woman should know to never trust her husband's concubines.

"Sister dearest," said Moongeum to me as we sat down and had some tea. "I've been so bored. I'm so glad you can find the time to pay me a visit. How have you been?"

"Recovering, thankfully," I answered somberly. Giving birth to Younggi had left my body permanently damaged. The physicians told me that even though I'd have no problem _conceiving_ another child, I would never be able to give birth again. Prince Yo knew about this and so ever since Younggi was born, he had been hesitant to touch me or bed me. It frustrated and pained me to know that I could never give him any more children. Just one son and one daughter was not enough. Even though Queen Yu had never expressed that she was expecting more, nor had my father, and even if I weren't constantly stressing over the possibility that His Highness would divorce me, personally I had wanted to have more children.

"Then how come you still don't look that good?" She inquired worriedly. She reached for my hands and rubbed them with hers. "Your lips shouldn't be this pale. It's getting cold. Are you sure that cloak is enough? I made a pair of gloves for you last month."

"I'm fine, sister," I said tiredly. "I've just been staying up late these nights."

"Moongong-ah, you know that's not good for your health. I know Younggi always cries in the night, but it's better to leave it to the nursemaids."

I tried to explain myself. "I stay up because I want to wait for my husband to come home. But some nights...he doesn't. Even when he said he would. The feeling of having to wait from sunset to sunrise...just to get loneliness and emptiness in the end...you might not like being married to someone thrice your age, but at least you'll never have to wait hours upon hours for the King."

"I'm sorry that His Highness has failed you time after time," she said sadly. "Still, if you can't get enough rest, how are you supposed to get better? Your well-being is what I'm concerned about."

"I can't possibly spare any thought for my well-being when I've just heard some bad news. I can't stop worrying about it," I sighed.

"I might not be able to do much to help, but I'm willing to hear you out," she replied.

"You know that I hate Lady Sinye. It already hurts me to see Prince Yo treating her so well and thinking so highly of her. The last thing I need a reminder of is how much he trusts her and how willing he is to confide in her. The other day, I happened to have overheard His Highness telling her that he is not happy that the King has arranged a courtship for Princess Yeonhwa. And you know why that is? It's because he intends to marry Her Highness himself, to consolidate his power and strengthen his claim to the throne," I huffed. "But the Princess knows full well she is the future of her Hwangbo clan, and is just as aware of the fact that she is the King's favorite daughter. Do you really think that Her Highness would settle for being a concubine? There's no way she would agree to it, without demanding that Prince Yo give up what he has now, and that means me and my children. I really can't go a day without feeling that my position is threatened, and everything that I have could be taken away from me in the blink of an eye."

"Moongong," said my sister gently. "If you only ever think about the worst case scenario, you'll get wrinkles all over your face before you even turn 20. Our father will absolutely _not_ allow Prince Yo to divorce you. His Highness needs our clan's support anyway," she pointed out. "From what I can observe, the 3rd Prince is an affectionate father and he loves Woongdo and Younggi with all his heart. It's a lot more fatherly affection than the King shows his children. I don't think he would give you or them up so easily."

"He agreed to marry a woman he's only known for an hour," I groused, thinking of Sinye again. "He can cast me aside without qualms. But I can't allow that to happen. If Woongdo and Younggi lose their legitimate status, can you imagine what would happen to our family's reputation?"

"You keep telling me about how concerned you are about your children, and I don't blame you for it, but at the end of the day, I'm convinced that you don't want anything to get in the way of your marriage to His Highness, not because you want security for your kids' future, not because you're thinking of Father's ambitions, but because you love your husband," she concluded.

"I do not!" I denied vehemently. For goodness' sake, I tried day and night to maintain this facade and I was beginning to believe in my own lies, but now my sister just had to point out the painful truth to me.

She shook her head. "Why lie to yourself…"

"I'm not lying! The truth is, I don't love him! I've never loved him, and I never will!" I insisted, loudly and adamantly. "Please, sister, don't argue with me on this." It was like picking at a scab, making it bleed over and over again, so that the wound never healed.

"Fine," she said promptly. "Let's hope the Prince will change his mind about it then. Or maybe the Princess won't want this marriage."

"I hope this courtship is just a precursor to an imminent marriage," I griped in frustration. But when my sister said nothing, I suddenly realized that what I said might have sounded insensitive as I recalled that the Princess was arranged to court Lord An Geolha, to whom Moongeum was very close when they were younger, before she was chosen to be the King's concubine. I quickly apologized. I was about to ask if she still had any feelings for her childhood sweetheart. But then, the door opened and her personal attendant Joomae came in.

"My Ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt. The King's astronomer, Choi Jimong, has a message for you, Lady Dongsanwon," said the maid Joomae.

My sister frowned. "Has the King had another collapse?"

Choi Jimong bowed at us and said solemnly, "Lady Dongsanwon, it is the King's wish that Your Ladyship go to a temple and pray for His Majesty's health."

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Hey everyone! Thanks for reading! I'm really excited about this chapter because I get to write about & you get to read about Yo's relationship with his first wife and with their kids, and there's a fatherly side to Yo that obviously the drama didn't show either!**

 **Especially Moongong; imagine how she'd feel if she were ever to find out about Yo's feelings for Hyeong...**

 **Moongong was mentioned a few times by Yo in the drama when he was talking about divorcing her to marry Yeonhwa, but she never got any screen-time. Here, however, she'll be popping up every now and then.**

 **Readers, will you tell me in your comments what you think of Moongong's character? \^o^/**


	24. Extramarital Affairs

**(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Jung's POV~

I was still worried that I had upset Hyeong as what I said yesterday had come as a surprise. After visiting my 9th brother Won and his family, I decided to pay her a visit and check on her. Geolsang's training could wait. When he and I would become brothers-in-law no doubt we could train practically every day.

"I'm glad you're here. I think I would like to continue the conversation we couldn't finish last night," she said. At least today she was not crying anymore and was smiling when she welcomed me. Phew.

"Sure," I nodded. "You said that you had doubts about whether or not you're ready to go into this marriage, right?"

"Yes. I want to explain myself to you. Before I see you as my future husband, I see you as my friend, and I want to tell you how I feel and why I feel this way. I hope you can understand," she took a deep breath and began. "I think you know the part about His Majesty the King expressing his wish that I wed one of the unmarried Princes. But it was really a couple of weeks before that that my heart's dilemma started. I met someone that I've developed a liking for. You probably won't like to hear this but I'd rather you find out from me than any other way: it's your 3rd brother Prince Yo."

Astounding! It was _Yo_ , out of all people. I didn't even know that they interacted at all, beyond basic formalities.

Once the shock subsided, I was expecting to feel something more negative. Like confusion, disappointment, or maybe even anger. But I felt none of that. Which just led to _more_ surprise.

"Jung-ah, please say something," she pleaded faintly and got worried. "If you're mad at me, I —"

"No, no. That's not…" I said quickly. "I'm not mad. I just...didn't expect that. Kind of like how you felt when you found out you were going to get married sooner than you thought, I'm guessing? Completely taken aback. But not angry or disappointed. Just disoriented and stunned."

"Yes, that's what it felt like," she agreed weakly. "You probably don't want me to continue. I won't put you through it —"

"I want to hear it," I reassured her. "Now I know why you were asking about my 3rd brother the other day. I want to know how you feel. You don't owe me anything. I'll just listen to you."

She licked her lips and continued. "We met for the first time right outside your 9th brother Won's house, when you and all your siblings were at Okrin Palace to see your nephews, and I was just leaving. The moment I laid eyes on Prince Yo, I was captivated. You know how he can be with his swagger and his stare. It was just a lot about his looks at first, but we ran into each other a couple of times after that and I think there was a connection that I didn't have with anybody else. I began to care about looking my best when there's a chance that he might see me. I catch myself zoning out, thinking about him. But I never thought I meant much to him, because I knew who he was but he never knew who I was. Until he took me on a date and I really began to develop some sort of special feeling for him. Maybe it's not...love. But I felt something. I just didn't know what it was or what it meant," she explained. "We had such a lovely time together, and he hinted at his interest in me too but i didn't take it seriously because I didn't think that his interest in me would be anything more than fleeting and transient. We didn't see each other very often either. After all he does have two wives and I never presumed to think that I would bear any emotional significance to him. I was wrong."

"How did you find out about that?" I asked. Admittedly, I was slightly, just very slightly, disappointed, but I guessed it made sense to me why she would fall for my 3rd brother. He was older, wiser, more mature, and surely better able to take care of himself and more capable of fulfilling his responsibilities to the family he started. Me? I was just a boy. Even though Yo could be sardonic at times, I could say many good things about him. His leadership and charisma — he's confident and he always knew what he was doing. His commitment and determination — once he started, he'd be sure to finish, and he'd never give up halfway through, no matter what. His political acumen and insights — he could look at any situation with a clear head, and analyze his options well. Even our mother had frequently praised him for all these things and more, and I looked up to him too. I thought maybe I could understand why Hyeong might be falling for Yo.

"I couldn't believe I didn't catch on when he actually did tell me what I meant to him, on the night of my birthday when he staged fireworks for me. I'm an idiot," she sighed. "And then a couple of days after that, once the news had spread that I was betrothed to you, His Highness had actually approached me the afternoon right before we had dinner with your mother the Queen," she confessed. "He had made it known to me that he was expecting there to be something more between me and him, but my betrothal to you had made him disappointed. I told him that there was no way we could pursue anything more than being siblings in law. Believe me, Jung, I pushed him away."

"I believe you," I said steadfastly. "I trust you."

She looked visibly relieved, and went on. "He also told me that if I ever change my mind about him, if I decide that I don't want to give up on what I could have had with him, I could go to him and he would accept me."

"Well, do you want that with him?" I asked simply.

"I don't think I should…" she chewed on her lip, distraught.

"Hyeong-ah, I'm not asking whether or not you _should_ want to be with him. I just want to know: a relationship with my 3rd brother, is this what you _want_? Is this what your heart desires? Would it make you happy?"

She looked around desperately, shifting in discomfort. Her eyes darted away in shame and she even tried to turn away from me, but I placed my hand on her shoulder to let her know that it was alright. Her lips were trembling when finally she whispered, "yes." She gulped. "I'm so sorry."

"Then go to him," I said resolutely.

"What?" She squeaked in disbelief. "No, you can't mean that."

"Go to him," I repeated myself just as firmly. "Look at you right now. Ever since you saw him on the night of your birthday, you haven't been happy without him. You haven't been the same. You need him. You don't want to lose the way you feel about him because of our betrothal. But whether or not we are betrothed, it won't change the way _I_ feel about you, nor will it change the way _you_ feel about him. There's no way I would allow myself to stand in the way of your happiness. You're already suffering enough by tormenting yourself with the constant dilemma between staying true to your future husband and staying true to your heart. As someone who loves you, I urge you to choose the latter. Go. Go to him. Stop torturing yourself already. Be happy."

"Is that really all that you want?" She asked, obviously still astonished. She couldn't believe I would react so calmly, I bet. But that was just because she had yet to understand the ways I loved her.

"Yes. That's all that I want. For you to be happy. But also be careful. I will guard your secrets with my life, but only as long as nobody else has knowledge of it," I said cautiously. "If your trysts with him stay clandestine, it would be easy enough for me to cover up for you."

She gasped. "That's too much. I can't ask of you to be an _enabler_."

"You're not asking," I said wittily. "I'm offering. I did say to you that I want to protect you, didn't I? That's what I'm going to do. I've told you before: you have my protection. I'm a man of my word."

"Jung-ah…" she shook her head. "I'm truly the last person in the world to ever deserve that kindness and love from you. You should've saved your love for a much worthier woman."

"No, you don't get to make that decision for me," I stated assertively. "I know what I want. I know what I have to do in order to get that. I will do it without complaint, as long as he treats you right. If he ever forgets to cherish you, or if being with him doesn't make you as happy as you thought it would, just don't forget that I'm still here. I'm always here for you."

She nodded and embraced me heartily. "I don't know what I've ever done to deserve your love. But what you like about me I will continue to do for you to the best of my ability. Above that, I am willing to be a friend that you need. We will find support and comfort with each other. We will be happy."

"We will," I smiled. I was sure of that. Compared to the majority of marriages manufactured in Songak, we would have a much more promising one.

* * *

 **(En route to Gameob Temple, outside the walls of Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

King Taejo was bedridden for the rest of the day, but his illness was not solely responsible for putting him in this condition. The truth was that he had come down with an incurable case of _remorse_. His mind consisted only of the face of a maid who looked so much like Court Lady Oh that His Majesty was consumed by regret. That was why he was having the worst headache of his life. It didn't even hurt so much when he got injured on the battlefield...though of course back then, the thought of Sooyeon back home was what sustained him in battle. The pangs of guilt he felt were perpetuated by his recollection of what Sooyeon had said to him about their child and how she wished she could raise that child. He was plunged deeply into compunction, and his psychological distress had manifested itself somatically, which was severely weakening his health. Although his astronomer had assured him that his time was not here yet, Choi Jimong himself feared the day was nigh.

As a last ditch attempt, King Taejo had given his permission for his concubine to go to a temple outside Songak to pray. But Lady Dongsanwon herself knew that she would spend little time praying and much time sinning. Even her handmaiden Joomae knew what was about to happen.

Granted, Lord Geolha himself had showed up once the news that the King was sick again had spread around Court.

"I wasn't expecting you," said Lady Dongsanwon flirtatiously to her lover. Contrary to her words, she was dressed scantily and had been rather impatiently waiting for him already. "Don't you have a Princess to court?"

"Unfortunately, I do. Her Highness said that I was a fool," said Geolha casually as he took off each layer of his clothing. "She's not wrong. I'm a fool for you, Moongeum," he said earnestly, and kissed her passionately. Her lips were not meant for prayer; they were his to kiss. They were lovers, and if that made them sinners, then so be it.

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Hae Soo's POV~

Today was the day that Myunghee and the 8th Prince would be bringing me and our retinue to one of the Hwangbo clan's residences in Hwangju. The countryside was believed to be a better place for Myunghee to be nursed back to health. After all, Songak could be a stressful place to be in, and all I wanted was just for Myunghee to get better quickly, even though the court physicians were not hopeful that she would recover. Of course, Prince Wook and I and all the maids around Myunghee kept her unbeknownst to the prognosis. She needed hope, a sense of prospect, and the will to live, in order to become healthy again.

I looked over my shoulder and glanced at the royal court of Goryeo one last time, trying to memorize each part of the palace.

The Damiwon bath, the portal connected my world to Goryeo. I still didn't know how I got here, but here I was now, and I had to make the best of it.

Yeondeok Palace, the place I called home. Even though Princess Yeonhwa lived here too and it was not a pleasure to coexist with Her Highness, Myunghee lived here with me too. My family was here. Not to mention I had Chaeryung, my best friend who's like a little sister to me. Equally importantly, the 8th Prince was here, and he was my rock.

Rongjang Palace, the residence of the 10th Prince Eun, my first ever friend in Goryeo. We shared so much laughter and joy, and I was truly honored to be his friend.

Seongmok Palace, the residence of the 13th Prince Baekah, another close friend of mine. From him I learnt a lot about the ways of the Court, lessons I would keep with me and bear in mind even though I was about to leave this place now.

Hyunhui Mansion, the residence of Lady An Hyeong who had the heart to offer to make glue with me, who comforted me after Chaeryung and I got whipped, and whose birthday I was there to celebrate.

The rest of it consisted of residences I'd never visited, and countless hallways and corridors in which I'd been threatened numerous times by the 4th Prince So. I shuddered. That, I was eager to leave behind. But I also couldn't help but wonder why he was the way he was. Was it because he got hurt, and so his temper was his line of defense? Was he so sensitive because he tended to keep things to himself and therefore had a lot of emotions bottled up? Or could it be because deep down inside he was lonely, and merely went out of his way to make the people around him pay attention to his feelings? I could not get him out of my mind, my sight, or my life, even if I wanted to. All of these possibilities just led me to think that perhaps like me, he could be fighting for his survival, in that seemingly illustrious but in fact dark place that we called the royal court. In a way, all of us were grasping for survival. Even though he tended to scare off all the people around him, he's just as much human as I was, and it's sad that he might not have the love and affection from those around him when that was what he needed the most. To always be an outsider, to be isolated and labelled, to be ostracized and scorned...the 4th Prince had it tough, huh.

"Soo-ya, are you ready to go?" Myunghee asked softly.

I nodded, and we proceeded to the carriage that would take us to a place I'd never been to before. I didn't know what it held for me, but I went along with it anyway. Maybe it'd be tough. Maybe it'd be an uphill battle. Maybe it'd put my mental strength to the test. I was not afraid. Not anymore. It wasn't me against the world. It was me and all my loved ones — they were my world.

* * *

 **A/n: Wook and the Hae ladies are moving to Hwangju for a while! Readers, do you think it will be for better or for worse? :O**


	25. Chess

**(Joyun Hall, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

The good thing about Joyun Hall was that hardly anybody ever passed by, and so very few guards were stationed here (they were probably slacking and dozing off anyway), which meant I could work in silence and get things done quickly. Yet in spite of the quietude that I appreciated, I still was unable to concentrate on my work, and I knew why that was the case. It was because Lady Hyeong had annexed my mind and claimed it as her territory. I should have known earlier, when she'd crossed my mind multiple times a day, that I was not only attracted to her but also, possibly, gradually falling for her. I might be too late now. Getting betrothed was not her choice, but my 14th brother certainly was her choice.

It could be said that this whole 'competition' for Hyeong was unfair to me in the first place, as the King's Majesty had only allowed her to choose between my unmarried brothers. But nothing in life was ever fair, right? That had never stopped me. It had never placed a cap on my ambitions, nor would it thwart me in getting what I want, and who I want. Just like how _Mu_ got to be the Crown Prince simply because he was Father's eldest son. It's like his eventual inheritance of the throne was a prize for being born first. That wasn't even his own achievement. I, on the other hand, had to fight for everything alongside my mother and our allies. Surely a comparison of our efforts and accomplishments would illustrate that I was worthier of the throne.

Still, before I could be a King, I had to demonstrate that I could be competent and effective in carrying out the tasks that His Majesty had assigned to me. Right now, the King wanted me to submit a proposal that detailed how resources ought to be distributed to military quarters stationed all around the kingdom.

Sometimes, though, it could be quite boring having to look at official papers day and night. Even if I weren't so sleep-deprived, I would still have fallen asleep at my table. I was kind of a light sleeper, so it was usually a quick nap, and then promptly back to work again.

When I awoke, I blinked at the candlestick nearest to me, and deduced that I must have slept for about half an hour. A pretty standard nap.

"Oh! You're awake, my Prince," said a gentle female voice. I looked around, rubbed my eyes, and saw Lady Hyeong by the bookshelf.

No, this was too good to be true. "I must be dreaming," I concluded.

"No, Prince Yo. I'm here for real," she said softly as she paced toward me and sat down in front of me across my table. Her voice was almost musical, once again convincing me that this wasn't really happening. Either way, I was obliged to stay in this dream.

"How long have you been here for?" I blinked blankly.

"Just a few minutes," she shrugged. "I didn't want to wake you, so I just checked out the place. You said I could find you here, Your Highness."

"You've changed your mind about me then?" I asked, not in despair this time. "You still want to be something more with me, in spite of your betrothal to Jung-ie?"

"Well, I'm surer about what I want now," she replied. She said she was sure, but she was being vague and didn't really answer my question. That had raised my suspicions and made me more pessimistic, but I was not going to give up.

I was about to press on and get her to give me a clear response. But then I found that she had something in her hands, on her lap. "What's that you're holding?" I pointed and asked.

"A chess set, Your Highness," she answered and handed it to me. "Remember when I told you that I know nothing about politics," she said as she glanced at the documents in front of me. "But I do know how to play chess, and that I'd like to play a round with you?"

I smirked, but not maliciously, never maliciously with her. "Looks like someone's prepared to lose."

"Now, how can you be so sure that you're going to win, Prince Yo?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Because of my expertise and experience in chess," I answered naturally. "I know my strengths," I said, and pushed the paperwork aside to make room for the chessboard.

She stopped me immediately, which made me frown at her, but she just looked so innocent it stirred up something in me.

"I wouldn't like to be interrupting Your Highness' work," she stated and pouted. Despite what she was saying, there was no way I couldn't see through that facade. I decided to entertain her, though.

"My, my. The affairs of the state are at stake because of my liking for you. This can't go on," I said, feigning disapproval, but set up the chessboard anyway. "More like my work is interrupting my time with you. I can finish this tomorrow. Right now, I want to be with you."

She giggled. "Does that mean you don't want me to 'interrupt' your work tomorrow then, my Prince?"

"No, you're welcome 'interrupt' me whenever you like. If I can't finish this report on time, I'll simply tell His Majesty the King that it's because of you," I said singsong.

She gasped lightly. "I fear King Taejo would penalize me, Your Highness."

"That won't be necessary. Losing the game to me would be penalty enough."

She raised her eyebrows. "I don't think it's wise for Your Highness to be so flippant. I hope you realize what's at stake. If you win the game, then sure, I'll agree to be with you. If you lose, you'll lose me too."

"Ah, so this is why you wanted to play chess with me at this hour of the day," I nodded in amusement. "Very well. I accept these terms. Now, it's time for me to tell you _my_ terms."

"What?" She faltered. I bet she didn't expect me to react so collectedly, nor did she expect me to have my own terms and conditions.

"Surely it's not a fair game if you're the only one who gets to state your terms," I replied coolly. "Listen up. If I win, yes I get to be with you, but on top of that…" I paused, just to heighten the suspense and see what reaction I might elicit from her.

Startled, she stared and frowned at me in discomfort. The suspense was killing her. It was only a matter of time till she'd begin to make silly guesses about what I wanted from her.

"Prince Yo, I'm not going to sleep with you, if that's what you're getting at," she protested boldly.

I laughed. "I never said that, and that wasn't even on my mind, but apparently it was on yours."

She flushed with embarrassment. "No it was not," she insisted.

"But now it is, isn't it?" I teased.

She pouted and folded her arms. "I don't want to be with you if you're just going to tease me mercilessly."

"Nonsense. You want to be with me _exactly_ because I'm the only one who'd tease you mercilessly," I said pompously.

She huffed and stood up. "I'm going to go home and never come back. I can't believe I'm losing my precious beauty sleep over you."

I was quicker. I got up deftly and once she turned on her heel, I stood in front of her already.

"You're not really mad at me, are you?" I asked gently.

"Yes I am. Now get out of the way," she commanded. I wouldn't budge, yet she suddenly covered her mouth as she must've recalled that she was not supposed to be giving me orders. She looked up at me hesitantly and added, "please, Your Highness."

"Why don't you make me?" I cocked my head slightly to the side, outstretched my arm to press my palm flat on the side of the bookshelf to completely block her way.

She did genuinely look indignant, which was fascinating to me. She tried to lift my arm, with one hand at first, but of course that failed, and even when she used both her hands it was to no avail. Her gentle and feeble hands were no match against my muscles. In a desperate attempt, she even tried to peel my fingers off the surface of the bookshelf, but when she was so focused on trying to get rid of me, I found the perfect opportunity to enclose her body between me and the bookshelf, by placing my other hand on the bookshelf as well, so that my arms were parallel as if I were doing push-ups on the bookshelf. Now, she was trapped. But what really sealed her fate was when she locked gazes with me. When I saw that the look in her eyes had gone from a fiery glare to a softened stare, I knew I was a predator who'd finally caught its prey.

"Please, my Prince," she uttered reluctantly, making a half-hearted attempt to push me on the shoulders. She tried a few times but she quickly gave up and just resorted to resting her (surely now tired) hands on my shoulders. Or maybe she wanted to do that all along and was merely looking for an excuse; who knows?

I kept my tone tender but firm as I said to her, "If you really so desperately want to get out of here and never return, I will give you the option of doing so. You'll never have to see me again, and you can happily marry Jung-ie. If you want to get rid of me so badly, I will let you leave. But if you'd rather stay and see what I have to offer…"

"Fine," she blurted and shut her eyes. "You can do whatever you want with me. I won't put up a fight. You can...have me. I know people...lovers do that. I just...expected it to be with my husband, on my wedding night. Not...like this." She shuddered.

This time I was truly surprised. "What, you really think I would take you by force?" I questioned, slightly offended that she'd jumped to this conclusion. "You think so lowly of me? No, I refuse to coerce you into anything. If you decide to give yourself to me, it has to be of your own accord. I will win you over fair and square," I clarified. How could she think that of me?

She seemed to have relaxed now. "I'm staying," she confirmed. "I'd like to see how you'll be able to convince me to give myself to you."

"Good," I replied. Now we could discuss the parameters of our relationship. "But you didn't even let me finish just now. What I wanted to say was that, since you've made the decision to stay, this is _not_ going to be the only time that you and I will play chess. I want you to hear my terms: for every game that I win, I'll get to claim a part of your body. I'll make this worth your while. You must know, I'm quite taken with you. I don't bring just anybody to the Peak to share the view with me, nor would I stage fireworks for a random person's birthday. Entrust your heart with me, Hyeong-ah. I will make you fall for me, and when you do, I will be there to catch you."

She nodded willingly. "Fair enough. I accept your terms."

I withdrew my arms and stood up straight. "Then let's play our first game tonight."

* * *

~Hyeong's POV~

The tinkling sounds of each chess piece landing on the board had filled the room. As our game proceeded, I thought to myself that even though I told Prince Yo that I'd only agree to be with him if he could win the game, the truth was that even if he lost, or even if there was no game, I would still choose to be with him. But I wouldn't tell him that. Or his arrogance would shoot all the way up to the sky.

I felt bad for ever thinking that he would force me into anything. I didn't know what gave me that thought. I couldn't understand my own thoughts. He'd been nothing but gentle to me ever since we met. Granted, he would unabashedly tease me, and I did get a little mad just now, but honestly, I couldn't stay mad at him, and only _he_ could get away with it, and it was because I enjoyed it a little. Only very little though!

But most importantly, I always craved spending time with him as it made me happy. It wasn't wrong to pursue my own happiness, Prince Jung had said. Since I had the opportunity to be happy with Prince Yo, I better seize it.

"Aha! I win," His Highness announced victoriously when the game was over. Clearly, his chess pieces had covered a larger territory than mine had. But I didn't feel bad about losing at all.

"Right, what a big surprise, Your Highness," I smiled easily. It looked like his uncle did teach him well. He had won quite easily.

"Remember our promise just now, Hyeong-ah?" He winked triumphantly.

"Yes, I do remember. I'll be with you, my Prince," I said tenderly and nodded, deliberately leaving out a certain part of our agreement.

"That's not all," he pointed out, and patted on the cushion next to him. Willingly I went over to his side and sat beside him. "From tonight onward," he said as he held my hands. "I'm claiming your hands as mine," he declared, and proceeded to kiss the back of my hands. I had no objections and merely smiled at him in a manner I found to be coquettish. I wasn't sure why I reacted that way but I wasn't ashamed of it. He was the only one who could make me feel this special way. He made _me_ feel special. My smiles were his.

I scooted closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder while I played with his hands. "I'm glad I stayed. I don't want to go home." I was expecting to stay here all night and I deliberately told Woljin to cover for me.

"Then stay. I'm used to spending the night here anyway, so I've a bed here," he replied comfortably.

"Is it big enough for two though?" I questioned right away, saying the first thing that came to mind.

He chuckled. "I swear, you only ever think about sharing a bed with me and nothing else."

"But now _you're_ thinking about it too, aren't you, Prince Yo?" I shot back mischievously.

"No," he answered playfully. "Rather, I'm thinking about which part of your body I should claim, next time."

"Ugh, my mother didn't teach me how to play chess just so I could lose to Your Highness every single time," I faced him and grumbled, throwing his hands back onto his lap.

"But my uncle taught me how to play chess just so I could win every single time, and I'd say that I've won a lot more than just a game tonight," he said heartily.

"But if Your Highness wants to get to keep what you've won, then you've got to treat me right," I said seriously.

He held my hands once more. "I will," he mumbled softly. "And it's only you that I care for."

When I looked into his eyes, I never thought I would be on the receiving end of such warmth and affection. I felt honored and special that I got to see a side of him that was nothing like the image of being distant, detached, and standoffish that somehow someone had created for him. The way I saw it, he wasn't anything like that. When I put my hand in his, I knew he would never be like that with me. And that was what mattered, right? As long as he was gentle and loving with me, because _I_ would be kind and affectionate with him too. It didn't matter that much if he'd be cruel with the rest of the world that brought him darkness — I would be the one to bring him light.

* * *

 **A/n: Do you like this game that Yo and Hyeong are playing? :P**

 **P.S. Y'all lovely readers won't forget to leave a review for me, will ya? ;D**


	26. Unknown

**(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Yeonhwa's POV~

Although Lord Geolha's priorities were messed up, there were several things that he could offer. But in order to see if I ought to keep him or get rid of him, I needed to know him on a personal level. Both my mother and Wook seemed to quite approve of him, but they were not the ones in a courtship with him. I needed to see for myself. I needed clarity. If he was going to be sticking around for a while, I better find out what he was good at to see how he could be of use to me.

After lunch, I figured that an interesting test of his personality was to see how he reacted to boredom. Having made up my mind, I sent Chaeryung to Hyunhui Mansion to invite him over to Yeondeok Palace. I left orders for him to stay in the library at Yeondeok Palace for the rest of today — he was not to leave unless I permitted it. In the meantime, however, I would not be at home. Rather, I would be spending the afternoon with my mother the Queen at Myungbok Palace.

Quite a few hours had passed when I finally returned to my residence. I stepped into the library quietly and I found that Lord Geolha had fallen asleep in the midst of reading. I decided to take a look at what books he had chosen. That would tell me a few things about what kind of a person he was.

Before I could even sit down in front of him, however, he stirred, and I thought he was going to wake up, but he didn't, and only made a small grunt. I ignored it and reached for the book that was about to fall off the corner of the table, but my fingertips barely even touched the spine of the book when he grunted again. I frowned and leaned closer. Another grunt. Was he a sleeptalker? Maybe he'd sleepwalk too.

I was about to recline, but then his next grunt got louder and I could make out something that sounded like "pin…s".

The rest I couldn't catch, so I scooted closer to him. Yet, rather than paying full attention to what he was mumbling, I was focusing on his face and my gaze lingered over his features. His hair for some reason _looked_ like it'd feel soft, but of course I'd never find out.

I'd never looked at him from this angle before...no wonder I'd never found his small face to be sweet. It reminded me of the last time he came over and blatantly, shamelessly proclaimed that he was good-looking. Even now just thinking of it could make me want to roll my eyes. But now that he wasn't saying or doing anything stupid, he actually wasn't that bad!

I never thought I would think this, but his eyelashes were nice, and he looked every bit an innocent child in his sleeping form. And yet his prominent nose made him look handsome and strong and manly. Wow, where were these mixed feelings coming from?

"P…prin..."

Ah, right. I was supposed to be deciphering his mumbles, not checking him out. Readjusting my attention, I waited for him to grunt again and this time, what he was mumbling didn't sound so indistinct. He uttered it over and over again.

"...n...ncess…sss"

Come again?

"...Prin...cess…"

Princess? That meant...me, right?

A sharp thud made me jump. The book had fallen off the corner of the desk, which caused Lord Geolha to bolt upright, awake. He crouched to pick it up, then stood and bowed at me lazily, still yawning. I could see that he was really pissed off that I was wasting his time like this, but I didn't care.

"Take a seat, my Lord," I commanded as I did what I did best — plastering a smile on my face and honey my tone. "We're going to talk."

He did as he was told. "What a pleasure that Your Highness has finally deigned to grace me with your presence. I thought I would wither away here and never get to see you," he said absentmindedly, stretching his arms. "I must also thank you for waking me from that awful nightmare I was stuck in."

Quite a querulous lad, this one. I wondered what I (or any other Princess, whatever) had to do with this bad dream he had.

Anyway, I sat down comfortably and glanced at the cover of the book in my hand which read 'Nyeo Cheuk'. It was a volume of a 30-installment series penned by Empress Jangson of the Tang Dynasty of China. She compiled the most outstanding achievements of the most distinguished women throughout history, and therefore produced this series of books. She read them often to caution herself. I couldn't think of a reason why Lord Geolha would be interested in reading this, but this mystery was interesting to me.

"Do share with me, Lord Geolha," I began. "Why did you choose _this_ to read while I was out?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You tell me, Princess. I only picked this because _you_ were reading it."

"Me? What made you think I would be interested in this, out of the hundreds of books here?" I asked curiously rather than demanding it. I didn't outright confirm that he was correct, but I did want to know how he knew it.

"Your Highness left instructions that I could read any book here as long as I wouldn't step outside the library. I was just standing by the bookshelf over there," he pointed to the other side of the room. "The books on that row are covered with dust. Clearly Your Highness doesn't tend to read those a lot. However it was this 'Nyeo Cheuk' in particular that didn't have a dusty cover. I figured it must mean you picked it up more often than you did other books. There's even a bookmark somewhere, a petal. That's how I know you've been reading it. I just don't know why."

I wasn't displeased that he'd learned this about me. In fact I even allowed myself a faint degree of sincerity in my smile. It was at least nice to see that he was clever enough to notice and to be able to deduce things like this. I did need an intellectual equal as my companion, especially now that Wook was away.

"The author's husband, Empress Taejong of Tang, praised this book series as one that could teach a woman how to be the consort of a monarch," I stated. I was a woman with ambition and high hopes and dreams for myself. Perhaps his brains would come in handy, and I could find an ally in someone this intelligent, if he could appreciate my determination and cooperate with me.

"Do you want to be a Queen?" He asked neutrally, adopting a tone no different than how he would ask unimportant questions like 'what's for dinner tonight?'.

"No. I want to be _the_ Queen," I answered seriously. "There are whispers among courtiers that I am considered the best candidate for the future Queen of Goryeo. I am going to make that happen. And you, Lord Geolha, are going to help me with that."

"Why would I ever want to do that, Your Highness?" He inquired, this time giving me a frown. "I don't think that's what your father the King had in mind when His Majesty arranged for me to court you, my Princess."

"Then what," I asked dully. "Do you suppose the King's Majesty would have wanted?"

"Certainly for us to spend time _together_ , getting to know each other, rather than one of us sitting in a library for hours and the other somewhere else," he uttered mordantly.

"Well, I'm glad we are able to communicate our dissatisfactions with each other in such a civil manner," I said calmly, resting my chin on my palm. I decided it might be more interesting if I could do something to turn our displeasure into something more constructive, reminding myself that a queen would always listen to her people, even when they were discontent. "Since you believe we should be developing a better understanding of each other, we can do exactly that. Now that you know why I was reading 'Nyeo Cheuk', it's your turn to tell me why you were reading _that_ ," I eyed the book that he had fallen asleep on.

"The newest publication from the Ministry of Arts and Humanities. I like poems and literature," he replied curtly. "Not like Your Highness is ever the type to be interested."

He was so wrong. I grew up with a mother and a brother and a sister-in-law who all loved poetry, and he thought I couldn't care less?

"Who's your favorite poet?" I inquired.

He laughed. It sounded nothing like my usual laughter, which meant he had to be earnest in his mirth. It seemed this topic was something that could truly fascinate him. "I'm not sure if Your Highness has ever heard of him before — he's called Yoon Tae."

I chuckled, partly in amusement and partly in belittlement. "I've heard of Yoon Tae. Read a handful of his poems. Which aren't even that good, but, _of course_ he's your favorite poet. He's a lovesick fool who only ever writes about romance. I hate the way he glorifies his lady love. I feel like he only loves her because she's unattainable."

He wasn't at all offended. "But you'd like to be praised and worshipped by a lover as such, wouldn't you, Princess?"

"Don't be stupid," I snorted. "I don't care about praise, or worship, or having a lover."

"Right, because power is your one true love, isn't it, Your Highness?" He folded his arms, putting on his flippant attitude.

"If you want to put it that way, sure. But like I said, you're going to help me," I said assertively.

"Why should I, Princess?" He challenged, then shook his head. "I serve the Crown Prince Mu and no one else, Your Highness."

I sneered at him upon his rejection. I was hoping he'd know better than to follow and root for somebody as weak as the Crown Prince. Unfortunately he didn't see it the way I did.

"Then that steadfast loyalty will be your undoing, Lord Geolha," I said ominously, and stood to dismiss him. "That will be all for today. You may go."

* * *

 **(Howon Palace, Songak)**

~Jung's POV~

My 10th brother came over to my residence this afternoon. I was in a good mood and agreed to share with him the custard tarts that Hyeong-ie had delivered to me earlier today. He wasn't in as good a mood as I was, but this was nothing a custard tart couldn't fix.

"Ah, that's so nice, Jung. I wonder if my future wife would make tarts and stuff for me too," said Eun enviously.

I burst out laughing. " _You_ out of all people are thinking about marriage too? Hahahah…"

Eun folded his arms, disgruntled. "Why do you always laugh at me!"

"It's fun. You say funny things and you're funny," I said lightheartedly.

"Eh, you all like to make fun of me," he propped his chin in his hands. "I see that everybody's good at something but I'm not. Except floating for the longest in the bath. I always win that contest…"

I began to notice that he was not his usual bubbly self. "Yes, you are, Eun-ie. You're good at making people happy. Why are you suddenly feeling down?"

"Well, because now that Hae Soo and our 8th brother are not around, I feel like nobody is willing to play with me anymore," he muttered gloomily.

"Hey, I'm here," I patted my chest. "You still have me. I can play with you."

"Sure, but meh, you don't count," he said, shooting a lazy glance at me.

I chuckled. "So I'm _nobody_?"

"You're the runt of the litter," he uttered, but was smiling again. Even though his fingers covered his mouth from my sight, I could still see his cheeks and for sure he was grinning.

"Says the short, tiny one," I joked.

He pouted and abruptly rose from his seat, trying to stand tall and stretching his body to his full height. I followed suit and he stood on his tiptoes, but I was still way taller. The height difference was obvious. I tried to keep a straight face, really I did, but I still ended up cracking up, while he threw his hands up in the air and complained.

"What if nobody likes me because I'm short?" He questioned in despair. "What if nobody wants to marry me because of that?"

"Don't be silly. This is nothing to be worried about. Somebody will like that you're short and cute," I said in reassurance.

"'Cute'?!" He huffed, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm a man! I'm a Prince! Why would you call me 'cute'?! Only _girls_ should be called that."

"Fine, then," I beamed contently. "I take that back. You're _adorable_."

"What?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, Eun. You're probably cuter than the future wife you're yearning for," I added, chuckling.

"Jung-ie!" He demanded. "Stop it!"

I ignored him and deliberately kept laughing, not just because it amused me but also because it would get him worked up. He looked as if he was about to swing a punch at me, but I reminded him of the last time he tried to get in a fight — and lost, to a girl!

"I'll admit, I can't fight," he sat back down and shrugged.

"I can, though," I said proudly and giddily.

"If you like fighting so much, why even bother marrying a _lady_. Go marry a warrioress or something," he whined.

"It wouldn't be surprising if _I_ married a woman who can fight, would it?" I nudged him. "But if _you_ were to marry a woman like that...ahahaha!"

"Ugh," he groaned. "Not going to happen. I can't imagine anyone who'd want a wife like that."

I giggled and shoved another tart into my mouth. This was way too entertaining for me.

* * *

 **(Rangbin Residence, Hwangju)**

~Hae Soo's POV~

We'd settled down in Hwangju now, in a nice, cozy house called Rangbin Residence. It belonged to the Hwangbo clan that the 8th Prince was part of. His Highness and his mother the Queen and Princess Yeonhwa had stayed here when they were banished from Court many years ago.

"Wouldn't you hate this place then? If you'd only ever been here as a punishment," I said to Prince Wook.

"No, not really," he answered gently. "This time I'm not coming here as punishment anyway. I'm bringing you and Myunghee, and I'm sure you two are enough to make this house a happy place."

I grinned at him. As long as I wasn't a burden to him, I was relieved. Overall, the atmosphere was much more relaxing now that we were far away from the politics and intrigue at the royal court.

"Your Highness, my Lady," said a maid who approached us. Usually, when we were back in Yeondeok Palace, it'd be Chaeryung who came to us, but she remained at Songak to continue to serve in Princess Yeonhwa's household so it would be quite a while before she and I could see each other again.

This maid here at Rangbin Residence, whose name I hadn't yet been able to remember, informed us that someone from Songak was here to see us.

"Who is it?" I enquired.

* * *

 **A/n: There are actually three unknowns that the chapter title is referring to, one in each scene:**

 **1\. Yeonhwa doesn't know that Yoon Tae is in fact Geolha.**

 **2\. Neither Eun nor Jung knows that Eun would end up marrying a woman who can fight.**

 **3\. Neither Wook nor Soo knows who the visitor is. But who do you think it might be? Any guesses? Don't hesitate to tell me in the review box below! :)))**


	27. Hwangju

**(Hwangju, Goryeo)**

~Hae Soo's POV~

It turned out that the 13th Prince Baekah was visiting us for a day, for which King Taejo had given his permission. I was so happy and the 13th Prince couldn't have chosen a better day, as today was a rare warm day in the winter. Perhaps it was going to be a while before it'd snow. We didn't have the astronomer Choi Jimong around anymore, so we couldn't get an accurate weather forecast. I did miss being able to just check the weather forecast for the coming week on my phone.

Since it was warm enough, it was alright for Myunghee to not stay indoors all day. Naturally the four of us took this chance to go outside and take a tour around Hwangju.

On the streets, we passed by an antique shop. Neither the 8th Prince Wook nor myself looked twice at it, but Prince Baekah stopped in his tracks. "This is fascinating!" He commented, looking impressed. "Lady Myunghee, this is the kind of place that you'd like to check out, right?"

Myunghee smiled. "As much as that interests me, my Prince, it's such a fine day outside; it would be a waste to stay indoors. Wouldn't it be better to enjoy the sun?"

We all knew it was an excuse. Baekah was adamant though. "But we won't get the chance to see much of these antiques at Songak. It would truly be a waste if we didn't go in and have a look," he replied. "Or I could go in on my own and the rest of you can take a stroll somewhere else."

Myunghee looked at the 8th Prince naturally as if waiting for him to make the decision, something she was used to doing, but instead he offered, "it's up to you, Myunghee. We'll go wherever you want."

Whenever he showed his gentle side, even if it was to Myunghee and not to me, I'd fall deeper for him. I'd say _he_ was the best thing to ever happen to me ever since I got here.

Myunghee turned to me then, and said, "Soo-ya, I know you're not interested in antiques. I don't want you to be bored. Let's go somewhere you'd rather be."

"No, no, it's alright. I won't be bored as long as I'm with you," I said promptly, even scooting toward the shop as I didn't want Myunghee to think that she was coercing me into accompanying her. I really didn't have a preference.

"Then...perhaps Your Highness could take a look at other shops with Soo in the meantime?" Myunghee suggested to Prince Wook.

His Highness nodded. "We'll come back for you in an hour's time, then."

* * *

 **(Howon Residence, Songak)**

~So's POV~

I had the intention of visiting my 14th brother today, so I made my way to his residence, hoping I wouldn't run into anybody unpleasant on the way.

"Jung-ah," I said to my youngest brother, perhaps sounding too cool but there was mirth in my voice, I hoped he could tell. "I haven't congratulated you on your engagement yet. We should drink to that, and here I am," I suggested, showing them the bottles of wine I had brought. "Eun-ah, you're here too. Join us."

Both my 10th and 14th brothers were, as I'd noticed, innocent and uninterested in politics, and weren't snakes like their elder siblings. I was hoping it would do me good to spend a bit of time with them. I could really use some family, real family, real friendship, like what I had with Baekah.

My 10th brother clapped. "I'd love to drink! But oh wait — _somebody_ is underage and can't drink yet!"

Jung protested immediately. "But even the King lets me drink, on special occasions!"

"Well, you said it. It's only on special occasions, and when His Majesty is already drunk," Eun said singsong.

"That's just not fair. One drink won't kill me. And Baekah drinks so much even before he was of age, but you never stopped him, Eun. How's that fair?" Jung grumbled.

I had poured a cup for Jung already. He accepted it slowly but gladly. Who's going to stop us? If they wouldn't tell, then I wouldn't tell either.

"Cheers, brothers," I said. "To our youngest Prince's engagement!"

Merrily, Jung took a sip from his cup and soon choked and coughed loudly. I knew what this must've felt like for him, the burning sensation of the alcohol assaulting his throat. All of us had experienced this at some point and reacted the same way he did. Neither Eun nor I could stop ourselves from laughing; he giggled childishly whereas I kept to a more composed chuckle.

"Oh goodness, So. I've never tried this kind of wine before," he confessed, gulping.

"Of course you haven't. You're a kiddie," Eun said naturally.

"It isn't very popular at Songak, but it is stocked in every household in Shinju," I explained. "Also, Jimong happens to like it."

Jung stuck out his tongue. "Can't relate."

"I heard the rice wine from Hwangju is good. I wanna go there and try," Eun replied.

"Hwangju may be nice, but I'm more interested in Shinju," Jung remarked. "4th brother, will you tell us more about Shinju?"

"Oh, yeah! Is it fun there, So-ya? What games and toys do they have there?" Eun chimed in, in exhilaration. "You must tell me, 4th brother. I want to know!"

I withheld a sigh. Shinju was not fun at all and there was nothing interesting about it. Their ignorance was truly what brought them bliss.

"It's nothing special," I uttered dismissively, giving them a lazy, unenthusiastic shrug, and continued drinking.

"Maybe it's because you're used to it already, but it's new to us," said Jung, who _didn't_ continue drinking.

"Can you bring us there, So? And give us a tour?" Eun requested, as if there was something to look forward to. There was none. He was just full of childhood innocence and hope and liveliness, but I was not. "I can show you around Gwangju in return if you want. It's where my family is from," he offered.

"You haven't been to Chungju before, have you, So-ya?" Jung asked. "I should bring you there some time! It's where our mother's hometown is anyway."

I felt deeply uncomfortable when he mentioned our mother, but I decided to not let it show. "You're forgetting one thing, brothers. We Princes aren't supposed to leave the Palace unless the King decrees that we do. And even if that happens it'd only be because His Majesty has a mission to bestow upon us, or because he is sending us away from Court as punishment. As neither applies to us at the moment, we are to remain in the palace at all times."

What I told them was the truth, but not all of it. I was determined to stay in Songak and fight for my place here. I would never go back to Shinju, no matter what. I would not step outside the palace ever again until I could be a hundred percent sure that my place here was very much secure. I wouldn't be going anywhere, especially not Shinju. I was here to stay, and for that sake, I better be strong, because this place was not for the weak.

* * *

 **(Hwangju, Goryeo)**

~Baekah's POV~

There were so many hidden treasures in this store. The condition and variety of the items offered for sale, as well as the attractiveness of the items on display, made for a pleasant shopping experience. I was so glad I could talk Myunghee into checking it out.

"If there's anyone in the world I'd like to go scouring for antiques and perusing the shelves of dusty vintage books with, it'd be you, Prince Baekah," said Myunghee to me. When she grinned, she did look considerably healthier. I earnestly hoped with all my heart that she'd get well soon. The physicians at Songak weren't able to do much for her, but I prayed that the doctors here in Hwangju could help. All I wanted was for her to get better.

"It must be because of how we first met, right?" I asked. Every time I thought of the first time Myunghee and I saw each other, I'd smile to myself and relive that memory all over again. Neither of us had expected to meet, at that time. As it wasn't arranged, I could only believe it was destiny.

At first, it was when my father's emissaries had recovered, from pirates, a collection of Silla antiques. His Majesty then wanted to bestow this upon my mother, since she was a member of the fallen royal dynasty. Once this news had spread, Myunghee heard about it too and she came all the way to Seongmok Palace where my mother and I resided in, just to ask if she could have a look, as she had already taken an interest in antiques at that time. It was these collectibles that brought us together, and then our common passion for music and literature. It wasn't long until I fell for her, even though I knew why she was here at Court in the first place — because she was Wook's wife. The Hae family had helped the Hwangbo clan immensely in regaining royal favor.

Myunghee nodded. "It was just last year, but felt like such a long time ago."

"That's because a lot of things happened in between," I explained. Over the course of a year, Myunghee got married so she had to take up a whole new role, which wasn't helped by her parents' deaths in rapid succession. And then she fell ill, after which her cousin Soo got into an accident and hit her head...if we had to survive in the royal court, we had no other choice than to be strong even when the world around us was crumbling. And that just meant _survival_. To _thrive_...that was much more difficult.

"It wasn't like that, back in my hometown," she said ruefully. "Life was so much simpler."

"But once you're in Songak, everything's different. The people you love and the things you hold dear could be lost to you in the blink of an eye," I added.

She shook her head nostalgically. "I don't miss the royal court, really. Except for this one place: the library at your residence. There's no doubt that Seongmok Palace has the best collections. Not even Yeondeok Palace could beat that."

I beamed. "I know, it's the best place in the world," I said proudly. It was pity that my attempt to get Lady An Hyeong interested in poetry had failed. Oh well.

"It's no wonder you're such a bookworm," she smiled too.

"I can literally spend all day reading and drawing. You know I can," I replied breezily. "If you miss my library, I can bring more books to you so you can keep yourself entertained whilst you're staying here in Hwangju. I'll come and visit you whenever I can."

"I would definitely love that. While you're here, you could also spend some time with Soo," she suggested. "The exorcism ceremony is in a couple of days' time. I hope it will go well."

I gave her the reassurance that everything would be fine, deciding to tell her nothing of the rumors we'd been hearing. I was sure Wook knew no less than I did, but he was keeping it from Myunghee and from Soo as well. If I were not a Prince, I would have opted to not be a part of it too. It was better and safer for them to stay out of this. Their priority at the moment should be restoring Myunghee to health so that they could all return to the royal court. Hopefully, it'd be soon, so that they'd be back in time for my 14th brother's wedding.

* * *

~Wook's POV~

Soo and I had been pacing the streets laxly, looking at this store and that store depending on what caught her attention. Eventually we found ourselves by a pond. A handful of locals were sitting on the bridge, resting. It was almost noon and the sun was almost as warm as Soo's smiles. We stayed under a tree and I asked her, "How do you like it here in Hwangju?"

"I could definitely use a break from all the tension and drama at Court," she remarked, pretending to wipe the sweat on her forehead with her sleeves. Her every expression was cute and her own. Nobody else would carry the same thoughts as she did, and no one would express themselves the same way she so freely did.

I nodded. "I like it here too. It's noticeably quieter and so much more relaxing."

"Do you miss your family members though, Your Highness?" She inquired. Soo always thought of others before thinking of herself. She was caring and kind and...not that my _wife_ didn't have these qualities but just...I didn't feel for her the way I felt for Soo. It must be her energy, her innocence, her spirit, all of it that made me want to cherish her and love her.

"Some more than others," I answered. "We'll be back in a few months' time. We just need Myunghee to get better. Which she will, I'm sure."

"Even after she's healthy again, I still don't want to go back," she revealed. "I've never really liked living at Court."

"Why?" I enquired. "Won't you miss your friends? Chaeryung, Eun, Jung, Baekah, and Lady An Hyeong."

"I wouldn't mind visiting them from time to time. But I'd really much rather be here, my Prince. It's so much more peaceful, and not at all stressful," she explained.

"I suppose I can ask my father the King to allow us to extend our stay here. There must be some errands I can run for His Majesty even though I'm not readily at Court to serve him," I replied.

"Is it _really_ that important for Your Highness to be in Songak to assist King Taejo with affairs of the state?" She asked, with a slight pout.

I smiled at her. "As long as I'm available whenever His Majesty needs me, it would consolidate my family's place at Court, so that my mother and my sister wouldn't be bullied."

She made a face and narrowed her eyes. "Your mother is already a Queen, and I'm sure no one would dare mess with the formidable Princess Yeonhwa. Your royal sister has proven herself to be someone we do not mess with. There's no worry that she'd be trampled on."

I let out a small laugh as I remembered the time I came upon her dramatically speaking to a tree. I later learned from Myunghee and Baekah that she was imitating Yeonhwa.

"What's so funny, Your Highness?" She asked innocently, but was also eyeing me investigatively.

"Nothing, Soo," I shook my head to stifle a chuckle.

"Huh, that smile…" she mumbled suspiciously. "There must be something my Prince is hiding from me."

"But of course, compared to a more restrictive lifestyle in Songak, it's much more enjoyable and delightful to be here spending time with you," I said cheerily.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, my Prince," she said singsong, whistling and looking around.

"Soo-ya," I said heartily. My tone really drew her attention. "I mean it. I do love being around you."

Tenderly, but not tentatively, I reached for her hand. It wasn't the first time I held her hand, but it was like feeling for the first time how small her hand was and how soft her skin was.

The first time our hands touched, she had locked herself up after getting into the accident that made her lose her memory, and I was trying to get her to stop isolating herself. Once she took my hand, I felt that connection that I hadn't ever made with other people. It wasn't romantic yet, at that time, but it felt special enough to make me consider the possibility that she could be more than just my cousin-in-law. That spark was more significant to me than I could have expected.

The second time was when we had just put Myunghee to sleep and we made sure to keep her warm with a blanket. Atop the covers, our hands touched. It wasn't even intentional, but apparently it had alarmed her so much that she ran out of the room immediately. Was she startled by my feelings for her or by _her_ feelings for me? I _knew_ of her affections, even though she didn't find it appropriate to verbalize how she felt. She could stop herself from telling but not from showing. The same applied to me.

The third time was right here right now. I wondered if she would withdraw her hand from mine and ask me to refrain from physical contact with her unless it was absolutely necessary. The more we wanted to get close, the more we had to avoid it, and that was a kind of agony that words could not describe. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but I just...I just had to do something that could express my love for her.

"Your Highness," she said pleadingly. "I can't do this," she uttered. "Your affections are not unrequited. You know that I care for you. But I can't give this a chance. I won't do anything that would hurt Myunghee. I can't bring myself to do that to my cousin, and I can't bear to watch you hurt her either."

She _didn't_ retract her hand from mine, and I realized perhaps that was even worse than if she did, because I got what she meant. She needed me to learn to be able to let go, for now. _I_ had to be the one to hold back and pull back from her.

Slowly, I did.

* * *

 **A/n: Review, please? ;D**


	28. Distractions

**(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

This morning, my brothers and I were supposed to be having tea with Queen Hwangbo at the Damiwon. But of course, the wolf dog had to ruin the occasion by saying stupid things, like we shouldn't be having tea when there was a drought. Apparently the painful rebuke I had given him last time did not suffice, but as I was not eager to let my grumpy side show when Queen Hwangbo was around — after all I was still plotting to marry her daughter — I decided to just roll my eyes and leave.

I wanted to drink tea. It was simple as that. It's not as if my desire to drink tea was _causing_ the drought. For goodness' sake, I was a Prince of Goryeo. If I wanted tea, tea I would get. What did this wolf dog think he was?!

I could go home and drink tea to my heart's content. Nobody could stop me from doing as I please when I was in Gyeongchun Palace. But I had a better idea.

I headed to Hyunhui Mansion and was received by Lady Hyeong's handmaiden. While waiting for the lady herself, I was seated in the Side Hall of Hyunhui Mansion and _yes_ , I was given tea. Tea, glorious tea. The simple pleasures of life. It was so refreshing! Now Hyeong wouldn't have to see my grouchy side.

When she showed up, all of my dissatisfaction went out the window. "Hyeong-ah, you don't mind me coming over unannounced, do you?"

"I do mind. Your Highness should've given me time to get ready and look my best for you," she pouted.

I grinned pompously. "It's always flattering when a lady wants to look nice for me. How fares my Lady today?"

"I thought it was just going to be an uneventful day until Your Highness came along," she smiled and approached me, about to take her seat across the table, but I stopped her.

"Wouldn't you prefer to sit next to me instead?" I smirked.

"Well, since it's just the two of us..." she smiled mischievously and sat down beside me, snuggling up to me. "I like to be close to Your Highness."

She smelled so nice that I was taking deeper breaths. It must be the same kind of perfume she wore when we went to the Peak the other day. I could recognize the fragrance, that intoxicating blend of creamy florals that made me want to get rid of any distance between us.

Steadily and gently, I grabbed her hands, stroking her delicate and smooth skin with my thumbs. Like last time, I placed a kiss on the back of her hands.

"What are you doing?" She asked innocently, but didn't seem to mind. After last time, if she wanted me to stop, she sure would've made that very clear.

"Is it wrong to touch what's _mine_?" I asked proudly. "I've won your hands fair and square from our chess game last time." I leaned in naturally to get a whiff of her heavenly scent, our fingers intertwined.

"This time, Prince Yo, I'm going to win," she declared boldly, wriggling away from me to fetch the chessboard.

"Are you?" I asked in amusement. "I'd like to see that. In fact, I'll even tell you one of my secrets if you win a round. But if you lose, then, well, you know how it goes."

"Challenge accepted," she replied spiritedly, and the game began.

* * *

~Hyeong's POV~

"Are you sure that's the move you want to make?" He questioned for the third time, eyeing me skeptically.

I knew I was losing, but I didn't want to _look_ as if I was ready to lose to him. "I know what I'm doing, Your Highness," I protested.

"If you're too eager to make advances, you're bound to lose more than you might gain," he said insightfully, pointing at my (largely unsuccessful) attempts to expand my territory.

"Who's eager to make advances now, huh?" I glowered at him then at the chessboard. Really, was I hopelessly _bad_ at chess? I really didn't see any way I could turn the tables and win...and yet I sound _so_ sure of myself when I agreed to play with him.

He leaned back casually. "We can take things slow if you want, but life is short, Hyeong-ah."

"No, my Prince. Life is the longest thing we'll ever experience," I replied smoothly.

"Time flies," he reiterated.

"Slow it down, then, Your Highness."

Intrigued, he asked, "how do you propose I do that?"

"I'm sure you'd be able to figure something out, my Prince," I replied mysteriously. I actually didn't have anything in mind. I was counting on him to come up with something creative and fun.

Gradually, a smirk was drawn on his face. His signature smirk. I gulped lightly. Every time he smirked, I knew he was going to tease me and make me blush. He could find a million reasons to do that to me. It got on my nerves at times, but it also made me think that he was only doing it because he was willing to pay attention to me and spend time with me, both of which I craved from him and only him.

"I think I know exactly how," he drawled.

"How, Your Highness?" I inquired urgently.

"I'm sure you'd be able to figure something out, Hyeong-ah," he replied wittily, and made his move on the chessboard. Whoa, how was he able to even concentrate on the game? I knew, I was always losing because all I could think about was him and his criminally handsome face that was driving me up the wall. I gritted my teeth and decided to dish out some retribution of my own.

"Your tea is cold, my Prince," I stated, grabbing his cup. "Let me go get Woljin to fetch some warm tea."

"No, stay," he commanded authoritatively and snapped up to look at me, as if he was trying to lock me in with his stare. If that was what he wanted to do, he didn't even need to try. At the same time he very deftly curled his hand around mine when I was still holding his cup. _Clearly_ , he could have just instructed me to stay, but he just had to find an excuse to touch my hand, because my hands were his. _Not_ that I didn't like it, but whenever he touched me, my senses were _so_ heightened I suspected I was on fire, and the butterflies in my stomach were trying to kill me. He just made me _feel_...aroused.

"I'll be quick, Your Highness. Woljin is just right outside," I said coolly and blinked innocently, as if his touch wasn't doing illegal things to me.

"Then just call out for your maid loudly and she'll hear you," he uttered.

Taken aback, I said, "a lady isn't supposed to raise her voice, my Prince."

"I don't care. It's your turn," he said brusquely, only lifting his sharp stare from me to glance at the chessboard, which I hadn't been thinking about. Oops.

* * *

"Ugh! I've never suffered such a crushing defeat before!" I threw my hands up in the air once the game was over. _Obviously_ , His Highness won again! He was _too good_ at this.

"Victory is almost as sweet as you," he whistled triumphantly. "Now come here, Hyeong-ah."

"It's not fair," I whined but still went over to his side.

"It's very fair," he said calmly.

"No, it's not, Your Highness," I growled.

"Are you going to argue with your Prince and lose at that too?" He asked lightheartedly, looking entertained. "We can have a re-match, if you want, but I don't think the result is going to be any different."

I huffed and could hold back no longer. I was a volcano ready to erupt. "How was I supposed to make each move carefully when Your Highness was deliberately distracting me throughout the game?! From beginning to end, every glance that you send my way was intended to _prevent_ me from concentrating on the game. You just wanted so badly for me to lose, you _needed_ me to lose, and you'd make that happen at all costs. I don't know why you keep doing it to me, with the way you look at me, or whatever tricks you're playing on my mind, and I don't know why it's having such an effect on me. I can't focus and it's all because of you, my Prince. It's your fault. There's no way I can think clearly when all my thoughts are on _you_ and what you might do to me. I don't know what you're going to do, but I know, oh, trust me, I _know_ , that there's something you have in mind. I know it just by the way you're looking at me. Nobody ever looks at me that way; it's only ever _you_ , Your Highness. Do you have any idea what it does to me?" I demanded, and he opened his mouth as if he was about to answer, but I just had to continue with my rant. "No, you don't, because you can play it cool but I can't do it anymore. It's the winter; it's supposed to be cold, yet I'm yards away from the fireplace and I'm sweating," I glared at him hotly and fanned myself, mentally calculating how many minutes I'd need to take off as many layers of clothes as decency allowed. "The only possible explanation is that you, Prince Yo, are making me feel this way, and it's _all_ that I can think about. It's infuriating, and I insist it's not fair because you aren't as affected as I am. You don't think about me as often as I think about you, and even when you do, you don't feel the way I feel about you. I don't want to play chess anymore," I groused, and pushed the chessboard aside.

As I panted, he studied my facial expression for a moment, and he looked dead serious. I began to worry if I had spoken out of turn. Perhaps it wasn't proper for me to speak to a Prince that way.

But then he broke into a lighthearted chuckle. Why was he so entertained? I wasn't amused or impressed. It only made me even more frustrated.

"Hyeong-ah," he said, making a lazy attempt to stifle his laughter. "I'm not _deliberately_ doing any of those things to you."

"Liar," I blurted, and instantly regretted it. I _shouldn't_ be running my mouth like this.

His eyes widened, but he wasn't angry, just fascinated. " _You're_ the one who's been spouting lies," he replied naturally.

"What…?" I spluttered. I was caught off guard and he took this chance to hold my hand once more.

"How do you know I don't think about you all the time?" He challenged.

"Because...because...you're not showing it?" I said hesitantly. "If you really feel that way, why do you keep it to yourself? Why won't you let it show? Or at least you'd have a hard time trying to keep it in, like I am, but you're not even struggling, Your Highness."

He nodded slightly, but probably more in acknowledgement than in agreement. "Won't you be scared by how strongly I feel for you, if I let you in on it?"

I looked into his eyes and found that _there_ , the intensity of his feelings did show. It even felt like a reflection of my own feelings. I saw attraction and liking and yearning, but also something deeper, something like...delight, devotion, _desire_. All these that I saw and felt from him had invoked and awakened something in me: passion.

I began to realize that time was slowing down, just like he said he knew how to. Was it that simple? Just for me to look into his eyes and see for myself the extent of his affections for me? Had his feelings ever led him to...fantasize, like I'd been doing?

He didn't say anything else. It wasn't his words that I was looking for. With every heartbeat I thought about which part of my body he wanted to claim this time. I sat absolutely still but closed my eyes when he leaned in closer and closer to me. It wasn't that I didn't want to lock gazes with him and divulge in it. It's just that whatever he was about to do to me, I wanted to feel it with my heart.

My eyes were shut but that only made me more sensitive and responsive to his breath on my jaw. It had sent tingling sensations to every part of my body. I felt as if I was floating. I almost shuddered as I soaked myself entirely in this infinitely rapturous feeling.

"Hyeong-ah," he whispered softly and sensually, so close to me, just so close. "I just can't resist you."

He brushed his lips against my earlobe, instantly sending shivers down my spine. A light gasp of bliss had escaped my lips, and involuntarily I reached up with my free hand to clutch his arm. I was floating and I needed to hold on to him to not drift away from him. My ecstatic sensation was cemented when he nibbled on my earlobe gently. It was intoxicating, especially when he had the mind to entwine his fingers in mine. Really, I could stay in this state of euphoria forever.

My eyes fluttered open slowly, as if I was still in a trance, when he pulled away from me. I had been holding my breath without knowing it.

"Your ears are mine now," he murmured lovingly. "How's that for showing you how I feel?"

"My Prince…" I mumbled. I didn't know what else to say. I was _glad_ I made the conscious decision to be with him.

"This is what I've been wanting to do to you," he revealed. "Does it fall short of your expectations?"

I shook my head. "There's nothing better that I could ask for."

"There's so much more I'm prepared to give you though," he said tantalizingly. "I just need to make sure that I'm expressing my affections in a way that you can understand and be receptive to."

"Are you always this gentle to everybody, Prince Yo?" I asked aloud.

"Most certainly not. I'd only bother with the one person that I care for, and that's you," he answered.

"But…" I frowned slightly. "What about your wives?"

He sighed. "This isn't the first time you've brought them up when I just want to be with _you_."

"I just can't help but wonder what they're going to think of...us. Especially Lady Sinye; Her Ladyship has been so nice to me," I said seriously.

He scratched his head and for _once_ looked tentative. He _never_ hesitated, but this time he did, a little. "Hyeong-ah, I'm not sure how to make you understand this but...the relationship between me and Sinye...it's not like that. It's not like what we have. Trust me; she's too much of a friend to be upset that I'm with you."

He was being so cryptic. I was perplexed. "Is this one of the secrets you were planning to tell me if I had won the game just now?"

"No," he replied calmly, no longer hesitant.

"Then...Your Highness has a lot of secrets," I said blankly. It wasn't a complaint, but I just couldn't comprehend how a person could live with the burden of keeping so much to himself.

"Haven't you any?" He enquired, but not defensively.

"I've none," I shrugged. "Truly, I'm an open book, Your Highness."

He pursed his lips. "Being a Prince is more complicated than you think it is, Hyeong-ah."

"What about loving a Prince? Does that have to be complicated too?" I asked boldly. "Because I don't want it to be. It should be simple. We should be able to share our thoughts with each other, shouldn't we?" I squeezed his hand as if prompting his agreement.

He considered my words for a moment and said, finally, "you're right. I'll tell you about me and Sinye. I will, but not now. In due course, when I find the right moment."

I nodded then. "I'll hold you to your word, my Prince. But what about Lady Moongong?"

He looked away. "There's nothing to tell. It was a marriage of convenience."

I was a bit let down, as I sensed that there was something he was keeping from me. Not that he shouldn't be entitled to his privacy and I'd never want to overstep my boundaries. I would not like to make him think that I was being presumptuous. I was just under the impression that if we were going to be lovers, we shouldn't be keeping things from each other.

"I don't have feelings for her the way I do for you," he added in reassurance. "But I make sure she has everything she needs. She's the mother of my two children after all."

That was better than how Geolha treated Nangyung. "I've been wanting to meet your children actually," I replied.

He nodded and gave my hand a squeeze. "Let's do that next week, after the exorcism ritual."

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **That's right; the next chapter will be about the exorcism rite. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? :P**

 **And I really like where their little game is going. Do you guys feel the same? Do tell me in the reviews below~! ;D**


	29. Exorcism

**(Hyunhui Mansion, Goryeo)**

~Hyeong's POV~

Instead of me visiting Prince Won at Okrin Palace, today he and his mother Lady Dongyangwon came over to my residence. Her Ladyship wanted to catch up with my lady mother so they chatted away, whereas Won talked to me about my engagement.

"I was wondering why you haven't talked to me about it yet whereas my 14th brother has," he said casually. "How do you feel about it?"

"Well, it happened so quickly. If I could choose, I wouldn't want it to happen so soon because I'm not ready for marriage. I recognize that. Now I've got a whole new set of shoes to step into," I shook my head. "But I guess overall I'm glad."

"Mainly because you're going to be my sister-in-law; that must be why you're glad," he grinned cheekily.

"Mm hmm, whatever helps you sleep at night, Won-ah," I drawled singsong, laughing. "You said Prince Jung went to _you_ to talk about the engagement?"

"Yes. Figured he needed some marriage advice," he shrugged.

"Great. If His Highness takes your advice then my marriage is for sure going to be a catastrophe," I face-palmed. "Everything's ruined now."

"What, you don't think I'm eligible to give him advice? He's my little brother after all. And hey, my marriages aren't that bad, really. I get along well with my wives, there's no rivalry between them, and we have children — basically the purposes of the marriage have been achieved, and that pleases all of us," he explained.

"Is that enough though?" I asked skeptically.

"Oh, Hyeong-ah. Don't you think you know me well enough already than to have to ask me that?" He chuckled. "In terms of what I expect my marriages to generate for me, I'm largely satisfied. I'd like to have more children, but not too soon."

Before I could reply, Woljin had informed us that it was time for lunch! We therefore proceeded from the tearoom to the dining hall. Eat first; chat later!

* * *

 **(Songak, Goryeo)**

~Geolha's POV~

Finally, the exorcism rite was to be held today. The Crown Prince Mu had spent a lot of time preparing for it. Choi Jimong was in charge of swapping His Highness' role with the 4th Prince So's. Tonight we would find out if there really would be an attempt on the Crown Prince's life.

Equipped with a shield and a spear, the Fang Xiang Shi appeared. On the spectator stand, King Taejo was seated in the middle, a Queen on each side. Princess Yeonhwa was standing next to her mother, while my family and other clans and courtiers assembled nearby.

Funny. From this angle, Princess Yeonhwa did look quite pretty.

Now the remaining Princes showed up, playing the roles of the Jin Ja, dressed in red with a black belt and half-red, half-white mask. Other performers, such as the Chang Soo — who used spells to cast away evil spirits — also appeared.

Choi Jimong, with his booming voice, announced the commencement of the ritual. King Taejo raised his hand majestically, which signalled for the drummers to do their job. Following the rhythm of the drums, the Princes performed their sword dance.

Clad in black, the 'monsters' jumped onto the arena from the rooftops, doing somersaults every now and then. The ceremony itself was actually entertaining to watch, but this time I had to watch out for a possible assassination attempt, so it was difficult to enjoy myself. My family members, in particular my younger siblings, looked fascinated and looked on, completely absorbed in the performance and unaware of the potential dangers. Their ignorance was their bliss, but the responsibility would be on me to protect them should anything bad happen.

"The Crown Prince is very good at his role," Queen Hwangbo commented to the King.

"He has practically lived on the battlefields," His Majesty replied proudly, totally confident and feeling safe in the belief that everything would be fine and his eldest son would do a good job as the Fang Xiang Shi. He really did think that the Fang Xiang Shi was Prince Mu. Prince So was doing a really good job, then.

As the drums gradually slowed and stopped, the 'monsters' fell to the floor, rolling as if they were weakened and incapacitated. When silence fell, I shivered. Not because it was winter but because I had a bad feeling. My hunch was shared by the King's astronomer as we exchanged a brief pessimistic glance.

Suddenly, more 'monsters' fell from the sky, assaulting the Fang Xiang Shi. But this was not part of the rite; this was not how it should've been. These were the assassins!

Jimong cried out for the guards to protect the King. Everything was a mess. All of the courtiers panicked and most began to leave the arena. His Majesty stood up and glowered intently at the Fang Xiang Shi whom he still believed to be his eldest and favorite son. Queen Hwangbo also bolted from her seat and faced me. "Escort the Princess to safety!" She instructed urgently, and pushed her daughter toward me with all her might. But I couldn't just attend Her Highness and abandon my family. I threw a glance over my shoulder at my father who apparently agreed that the Princess was my responsibility now and ushered me away, whereas Hyeong was already leading Geolsang elsewhere. Desperately, I gripped Her Highness' wrist and thought hard of somewhere with better shelter and security.

* * *

 **(The Damiwon, Songak)**

~Yeonhwa's POV~

Lord Geolha had opted for the Damiwon as our hiding place since it was the closest to the arena and even though there weren't many guards stationed here, at least there'd be court matrons and maids around.

Perfunctorily, he asked, "are you alright, Your Highness?" Of course he didn't _care_ , but he asked just to make sure he wouldn't be blamed in case I got hurt.

"Fine," I muttered brusquely, focusing my thoughts elsewhere. I was most interested in knowing who was behind this attempt on the Crown Prince's life. Not that I cared, either, about him.

Who could've hired the assassins? The Yu clan of Chungju or the Park clan of Seungju, supporting my 3rd brother Yo on the throne. The Kang clan of Shinju; you'd never know what they'd be up to. The Kim clan; less likely, but they were still allied with my 9th brother Won. The Ham clan, with two royal concubines and my 10th brother as their pawns. I was even suspecting my own Hwangbo clan, capable of doing this without enlisting my mother's help. I wanted to carry out investigations, but I couldn't do it right now. I had to wait till the storm had passed.

I knew that Lord Geolha did not like me much, so he wouldn't talk to me unless it was absolutely necessary. I had to be the one to initiate a conversation then.

"You don't like me much, do you, my Lord?" I decided to be straightforward with him.

He gulped in agony. "How could you say that, Princess?"

"Is it because you like somebody else?" I inquired. I had a feeling this was going to turn into a full-on interrogation.

"I — what?" He choked. "I beg your pardon, Princess Yeonhwa?"

His reaction, not his words, was really the answer that I needed. "Who is it?" I pressed on. "A noblewoman, I presume?"

"No, Your Highness. There's no one," he said forcefully. Not a very good liar, was he?

I smiled at him slightingly. "It must be tough for you to have to deny it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Princess," he insisted tensely. The standard response to getting exposed.

"I might be able to use my influence to enable you to marry her," I offered. We both knew our relationship would not _really_ end in a marriage. I just needed it to go on until I could safely become Queen or Wook could be King.

"Thank you, Princess Yeonhwa," he gritted his teeth. "ut I don't need Your Highness to do anything for me. If I needed somebody _powerful_ to grant me a favor, I could easily have asked Prince Mu, and I wouldn't have to trouble Your Highness."

"Then why hasn't His Highness? Is it because he doesn't consider you worthy? Or maybe," I said derisively. He was taking this all too seriously, while it was fun for me to mock and humiliate him, especially with this bold, dramatic guess. "It's because not even the Crown Prince has the power to arrange for you to marry a woman who already belongs to another man."

His jaw tightened. The fire in his eyes had given away more than he dared speak. However, his expression of indignation had turned into a sneer as he shook his head and turned the tables.

"You need me, Your Highness," he declared boldly and assuredly. "You need to marry a man who lives and works at the royal court, so that you can use him — me, actually — to get what you want the most: more power. You've told me that that's what you're after, and it'd only be characteristic of an ambitious woman like Your Highness to stop at nothing. You may be privileged in many ways, Princess, but when it comes to marriage, given the options the King is considering, for you it's either getting married to _me_ , or leaving Songak, or even worse: off to Khitan you go. Our borders with Khitan isn't that well-guarded. Some of the lords from the Hae family have been straying from us and allying with Khitan. You can't wield power if you're not at the center of where the politics are, so you need to stay at Court, and you have a better shot if you marry me. You need me more than I need you, so you don't feel secure, and you need to gain leverage over me, so that you can ensure that I'm not going anywhere. But here's what you ought to know, Princess Yeonhwa. I may be a mere lordling and you the lofty Princess, but unfortunately for you, you're not the one with the upper hand. If you so desperately need to keep me around, despite knowing that I strongly dislike you because of our differing values and clashing personalities, I suggest that you think twice about antagonizing me. Calling me a fool and acting like you're so much better than me will not get you what you want," he seethed. "Of course I want out of this courtship. Of course I want my freedom back. I'd rather stay single my whole life than be your pawn, because I know ultimately you want to be the Queen. No one likes to be walked over and manipulated and exploited for others' gain. Not to mention nothing about you makes me feel like you'd be worth any sacrifice on my part. But Prince Mu has expressed that what he wanted was for Your Highness to marry well, and His Highness reckons I'd make a good candidate. I serve no master but the Crown Prince, so I'm doing it for him, in addition to what the King's Majesty has decreed. Not everything is about you, Your Highness. Get off your high horse."

I sat in silence for a few moments, as I digested what he'd just said. I felt no need to change my facial expression, as it would not please me to let it slip that his words might be enough to have an effect on me in any way. Of course I was displeased that he was rebuking me, because who did he think he was? But he was also making me ask myself: who did _I_ think I was? I needed to look at my situation with a clear head. I might be my father's favorite daughter, but His Majesty would always be a King before he'd be a father. I was just a pawn to him, no different than my elder sister Princess Chuja was. If it pleased His Majesty to put me in a courtship with Lord Geolha, I better make it seem as if I was perfectly happy with this arrangement, even though, once again, Lord Geolha was right to say that our personalities clashed and our priorities couldn't have been more different. This way, I'd be able to stay in royal favor, and therefore keep my place at Songak secure. It did concern my benefit. I ought to care.

"It seems you understand my situation better than I do," I stated. I kept my tone neutral and my expression stoic, but deep down inside, his words did affect me. It was such a strange feeling. I didn't think I'd ever felt this way before. It was as if I was humbled by him, which made me frown at least inwardly. I could not believe it myself. Why should I let anybody affect me this way? Let alone _him_.

"You wanted an intellectual equal as your future husband, Princess," he replied. He'd calmed down now. "Yet if Your Highness does not intend to treat me as an equal, there's no way a courtship between us would work. Considering what's at stake, I think _you'd_ be more affected should our courtship fail."

"I won't let that happen," I said sharply. Our courtship was not going to fail; it would only be terminated, by me, when I would one day find it expedient. "Are you saying you want to try to make this relationship work then, Lord Geolha?" I enquired. "I had rather thought you were the one who wanted out."

"If Your Highness can recognize how much you need me, then you'll be able to change my mind about you and about this relationship," he said solemnly.

I sighed. "I'm royalty. You're just a courtier. We'll never be equals," I said dismissively. Not to mention I needed to be future Queen. That, or Wook must manage to take the throne.

"In that case, Princess Yeonhwa, if you still expect me to continue you to allow you to treat me like garbage, you're wrong," he said tiredly. "I've had enough of your abuse."

"Don't be dramatic," I snapped back at him.

"I'm sure Your Highness knows why the King only made me court you but not wed you right away. It's because His Majesty still needed you to be available, in case he needed to marry you off for dynastic purposes," he pointed out. "It's like I said, Your Highness. If you want me to stick around as your prospective husband, you'll need to change. It's up to you to decide whether or not I'm worth it. It's entirely your choice, Princess. Is your pride more important than staying in Songak through me?"

"I can't give you what you want," I said in exasperation. "I want power. You might be able to give me that. But you want love. I can't give you that."

I hadn't even finished my sentence when the disbelief had already struck me, like a slap across the face, that I was actually considering _giving back_. All my life, people kept taking things from me, not tangible objects, but things that I thought I valued, like my dignity. I then learned to guard what I held dear, always taking things from others when it served me, and never to give anything back, because nobody was deserving of it. My own gain was always more important. But what if I needed to give, in order to get? Such a bizarre concept.

"But you can give me your respect," he replied wryly. "Can't you, Princess Yeonhwa?"

* * *

 **(Songak, Goryeo)**

~Hyeong's POV~

I had no idea what had just happened. All I knew was that it had to be something very, very bad. Geolha was out of sight with the Princess very soon, while Mother had entrusted me with the task of bringing Geolsang somewhere safe. Hyunhui Mansion was the only place I considered safe enough to be, but the hallways leading to our residence were _not_ safe, as most of the palace guards were off trying to catch, purportedly, a gang of assassins, which left many corridors unguarded. This meant that going home was no longer an option.

"Where should we go?" Geolsang asked worriedly.

I panted and could barely speak. I could only run and motion for my little brother to follow me. I decided to go out to the main street, as there were more civilians, and we were less likely to be harmed. I wasn't even sure anymore if this was wise, but until I was able to come up with a better solution, this was what we would be going with. I felt at a loss as to what I was supposed to do. Sure, I was Geolsang's elder sister and of course it was my duty as an elder sister to take care of a younger brother, but it was always Geolha who took up that responsibility to look after both me and Geolsang, and it had never occurred to me that it was actually a challenging task, until it was up to me to do it. I did not feel the least bit competent and I had the hunch that I was going to screw this up badly, but I had little energy for these defeating thoughts at the moment.

I ran and ran and ran — Geolsang ought to be right behind me — till we could blend in with the common people who were completely oblivious to the mishap in the arena. I was so focused on moving along and going forward that I had neglected to look back. I only turned around when I stopped to catch my breath, but I stopped breathing again when I realized...I had lost Geolsang.

* * *

 **A/n:**

 **Gasp! Looks like Hyeong is in big trouble. Where did Geolsang go? :O**

 **And do you think Yeonhwa and Geolha will ever be able to work things out? Leave a review and tell me what you think! :DD**

 **Thanks for reading! :)))**


	30. Run

**A/n: Thank you so much for the reviews, everybody! Muah :***

* * *

 **(The Woods, Songak)**

~Hyeong's POV~

I was so useless. I had one job, and I failed. I was so angry with my stupidity and negligence but also extremely worried that as I retraced my steps to look for Geolsang, tears were running down my face. This had earned me a few glares from the people around me, as they were all celebrating and making merry but here I was, crying and rudely pushing my way through the crowds. Yet I couldn't care anymore about the people on the streets. I needed to find my brother and I'd been through the streets many times, calling out his name at the top of my lungs, screaming it in fright and worry, but still he was nowhere to be found.

I was running so quickly that I fell and it hurt, but I dusted myself off and kept running. I had to. But since I couldn't find Geolsang on the streets, I better look for him somewhere else. I looked around and unexpectedly saw the 4th Prince So, the wolf dog, sprinting into the forest. He must be on the assassins' tail as well.

Hold on. What if Geolsang had gotten into trouble with the assassins? He was young and hot-headed; who's to say he wouldn't do something foolish and dangerous? I didn't have the guts to think of what would happen...I compelled myself to run again and headed straight for the woods.

Once I was in the forest and enshrouded by tall trees and darkness, the ground was covered by brittle leaves and pesky branches in messy patterns, which made it so much more difficult for me to run fast. I didn't want to slow down as I was just in a hurry to find my brother, yet I was unable to watch my step as it was _so dark_ and my eyes hadn't adjusted to it yet. Unsurprisingly, I tripped. With a thud, I fell to the ground and yelped in pain. My knees must be bruised so badly. I rolled on my side and rubbed my knees, hissing. I already wanted to get back on my feet before the pain had quite subsided.

"Geolsang, please, where are you?!" I said to myself, wondering which direction I should go in now. It seemed like an endless path no matter which way I picked.

With some difficulty, I rose to my feet, still clutching my knees. I must be deep inside the forest as I couldn't hear the performers and the crowds out on the streets anymore. Instead, I heard rapid footsteps from behind me. Limping, I turned around, and about a dozen men came into sight, but somebody who didn't share their uniform was leading them. Before I could react, they were getting closer, and I got a better look at them. They seemed to be palace guards as they were clad in armor, and I could faintly make out that their leader was wearing a red costume, which indicated that he must be one of the Princes.

"You there!" One of the guards spotted me and pointed at me as they approached and surrounded me. "Have you seen a gang of men pass by? Dressed in black, possibly wearing masks. Tell us where they went."

"I don't...I don't know," I said feebly. "I...I haven't seen them."

"You — Hyeong-ah?" It was the 14th Prince Jung, my betrothed, who came forward, inspecting me in shock. "What are you doing here all alone? Are you hurt?" He asked, then turned to the guards he was leading and said, "keep searching. I'll catch up." And they did as they were told, splitting up and whizzing further into the woods.

"Your Highness," I said anxiously, and tried to explain what had happened in as little time as possible. My mind was a mess and I wasn't even sure if I was speaking coherently. "I need to find Geolsang."

" _We_ need to find Geolsang," he replied urgently. "Can you still walk?"

"I'll be fine," I claimed, but once I took a few more steps, my knees gave in and I almost fell again had His Highness not grasped my arm just in time. "My Prince, you should go look for the assassins."

"There are at least a hundred guards doing that, but none searching for your brother," he argued. "Besides, there's no way I'm leaving you in the middle of nowhere to fend for yourself. It's too dangerous out here for you to be on your own," he added adamantly. "Let's go."

* * *

 **(Songak, Goryeo)**

~Chaeryung's POV~

Because the exorcism rite was such a big deal, even we maids were allowed to go out on the streets to celebrate and pray. We were told that the louder we were, the more easily the malicious spirits would be scared away, so even though normally we'd be instructed to stay at our posts, this time we were encouraged to go out. But just for this special occasion.

I'd been out for an hour now so it was time for me to make my way back to Yeondeok Palace. Among us servants, we had agreed on taking shifts while others went out to watch the street performances. It was my turn to go back.

On the way, I almost got knocked off my feet by a girl not much older than me. I was sure she hadn't meant to push me aside. She looked to be in such a hurry but there were just too many people on the streets, and she was stuck. I got the chance to take a good look at the girl. Judging from her attire, she must be a noblewoman. Hey, hold on. She looked familiar. Wasn't that Lady An Hyeong from Hyunhui Mansion that my good friend Woljin served?

As she pushed her way through the crowds, she kept hollering, "Geolsang! Geolsang!" If my memory served me right, Geolsang was the name of the youngest member of the An family. But said lordling was nowhere to be found. In fact, I suspected he was missing as Lady Hyeong was looking around apprehensively. If it weren't for her hanbok and the accessories in her hair, there was no way I'd believe she was a noblewoman because she was not acting as an aristocrat should.

Her anxious cries were dissonant, compared to the joyous cheers everywhere. As deftly as possible, she separated herself from the crowds and ran off in the direction of the forest, out of my sight very soon. I continued to make my way back to Yeondeok Palace, but the whole time I was wondering if I ought to take another route so I could pass by Hyunhui Mansion and see if I could find Woljin there to tell her about what I'd just seen. As I was at the crossroads, hesitating, a man was coming from my right.

I whirled and turned to him, as if instinctively able to sense that he could give me some sense of direction or tell me what I ought to do. But when I saw him, there was no way I couldn't recognize his figure, even though I didn't get to see him as often as I would like to. In spite of his slight stagger, the way he walked was still familiar to me. Everything I was allowed to know about the 9th Prince Won, I learned and remembered well.

"Your Highness?" I asked timidly as he approached. I was so unused to meeting with him in the open as I was too accustomed to clandestine meetups.

"Chaeryung," he said weakly. "There's been an attempt on the Crown Prince's life during the exorcism ceremony."

I gasped, not so much because of what he was telling me but because what I was seeing. Even though he was wearing red, it was still obvious. "My Prince! You're bleeding!"

I decided to bring His Highness to the Side Hall of the Damiwon since it was the nearest place available; any residence would be too far away, and His Highness needed medical attention right away. The most serious injury he has sustained was under his ribs on his right side, the source of the bleed. He must have been assaulted when he raised his arm to swing his sword at his opponent. I knew just what to do to treat his wounds. Luckily, he didn't tear any ligaments or break any bones.

Sitting him down, I crouched and used a cotton, soaked in alcohol, to clean his wounds. He hissed loudly and turned away from the source of the pain, and I flinched too. He told me that he was also kicked in the shins, and had scratches on his face, but I'd attend to these minor injuries later on. They weren't as life-threatening as the one on his torso. It must have hurt a lot, and my heart ached for him. I didn't know what kind of fight he had gotten into, but it must be really bad. He could have died, and that thought had made me shudder and bite on my lip intensely. I couldn't lose him. He was my lifesaver, my love, my world. I didn't know what I'd do without him.

I didn't realize that tears were rolling down my face when I was washing his wounds until he asked, "Chaeryung, why are you crying?" He sighed and inspected the wound. "The cut looks nasty, but it'll heal."

Sure, all the injuries that he had sustained were merely physical, and with proper rest, care, and hygiene, he would recover soon. He was young and strong and no doubt healthy and virile, even though I couldn't be there to oversee his diet and habits each day. But to see him get hurt had inflicted just as much pain on me, if not more. I would rather be the one under the blade so he wouldn't be injured. You could break my soul, take my life away, beat me, hurt me, kill me, but for the love that the gods in the heavens bear us...don't touch _him_.

"It's...nothing," I lied, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "The alcohol is just too strong," I sniffed and bandaged his wound adequately. "Please take care of yourself, Prince Won," I added. _Since I won't be there to do that._ I missed working for him at Okrin Palace and getting to see him every day. I wanted to be able to love him and look after him and serve him. He was all I needed.

* * *

 **(The Woods, Songak)**

~Geolsang's POV~

My sister was running so quickly just now. Even with the intensive training I'd been receiving daily, I couldn't even catch up with her. Not to mention she was smaller in stature and could easily slip between crowds, whereas I didn't have that size advantage. I tried to call out for her so that she'd wait for me, but I didn't think she heard me. As a result I had to look for her, but while I was doing just that, I looked around myself and thought I saw the 14th Prince Jung jumping from rooftop to rooftop, among a dozen royal guards. I'd always wanted to prove myself, and I thought this could be my chance. I decided to follow His Highness and join his search.

Halfway through the chase, I realized that even though I was running as quickly as my legs would allow, I still struggled to catch up with Prince Jung and his team of guards. I saw them diving into the forest, but beyond that I couldn't see a single thing as it was dark and they were already too far away from me. Still, I threw myself into the forest and tried to locate them based on the sounds of their tracks. In order to do that, I myself had to slow down and take steady steps, and also let my breathing slow so that I wouldn't be panting so loudly that I couldn't hear anything else.

As soon as I'd caught my breath, I was able to pick up on some noises. Carefully, I treaded toward the source of the sounds. Apparently I was on the right track as I did spot a gang, about two dozen of them, still wearing the masks from the ritual. I held my breath as I approached. I was able to see that they were lining up, and a tall man, in what seemed to be a fur coat, was pacing in front of the lineup, as if inspecting them. Next, they all knelt to him. Unquestioned deference.

The man in the fur coat had a bloodied sword in his hand. I wondered if he was going to use it on the assassins at his feet, but I prayed he wouldn't. He raised his arm, but didn't look as if he was in the stance to strike. Momentarily I was confused as to what he was about to, so I squinted at him intently. However, my attention was placed on the wrong person. That gesture just now was a signal for another team of men, in dark blue clothing, to come forward to slit or stab the backs of the kneeling assassins. Blood splattered everywhere and I flinched instinctively. Taken off guard, I gasped loudly and stumbled backward. Even though I could cover my mouth, I could not cover the echoes of the noises I'd made. Crap. Was I going to end up just like them?

Immediately, the man in the fur coat snapped and whirled. I ducked as fast as I could, and kept my back to a tree trunk, trying to minimize my movement but still couldn't reduce my involuntary trembling. I did not dare move a single muscle. I did not dare breathe. I did not even dare gulp, for fear that even the slightest movement would alert him, and he'd find me and kill me. I was horrified. Deciding that I had already witnessed enough to scar me for the rest of my life, I shut my eyes in fright.

As I could see nothing, I relied on my hearing once more. I could detect footsteps, of one person only, approaching. The crackling sounds of the hard branches and soft leaves on the floor was familiar to me. It should be reminiscent of children playing and happy memories, but this time, listening to these noises had done nothing to comfort me.

The next sensation that hit me was a weird one. Some object had made contact with my neck. But there was only pressure, no pain. At first it felt like the tip of something sharp, made of a cold, hard material. But it also felt as if it was coated in something warm, a liquid of some sort. It smelled quite disgusting, ferrous. It was making my nose itch and I wanted to sneeze, so I allowed myself to open my eyes for a moment. But when I did, I found myself looking right into the haunting eyes of the man in the fur coat, pointing his blood-covered sword at me.

* * *

 **A/n: Is Geolsang gonna make it? What do you guys think? :O**


	31. Successive Failure

**A/n: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! :)))**

* * *

 **(The Woods, Songak)**

~Yo's POV~

I was furious. The plan that my mother and I had concocted was supposed to be perfect. Flawless. And indeed everything was going to plan, but then the person behind the mask was not the Crown Prince. He had swapped roles with the wolf dog; that was why the attack had failed and now I had to clean up the damned mess by offing the assassins we'd hired. The Crown Prince knew to get our 4th brother to take his place as the Fang Xiang Shi, which means he must have received intelligence somehow of our plot. Something must've leaked. Especially now that my father the King's Majesty is alarmed, it'd be even more difficult to get the Crown Prince out of the way.

Our failure was already unexpected, and now, what did we have here? A boy, not a day older than 15, popping up in the middle of nowhere when I was swiftly cleaning up our mess just then. Although he tried to hide from me, I could deduce that from his angle he must've been able to see everything. I therefore needed a backup plan. One of my options, however, was to kill this boy so he couldn't blab what he saw to anybody else.

He whimpered in fear and dropped to his knees helplessly, begging me to spare him. With his trembling voice and innocent face, I was _almost_ tempted, but too bad for him I'd never known mercy. I wouldn't take that risk and allow him to expose what I'd done. It would be much easier to just swing my sword and decapitate him. I wouldn't even blink. I could do it right here right now. Nobody else was around to watch me do it this time...right?

Or perhaps my plan would once again be thwarted. Two sets of rapid footsteps, loud and clear, were nearby. I looked around but did not give the boy an opportunity to escape. The tip of my blade was still digging into his neck, and I needed only to apply just a little bit more pressure to draw blood.

"Over there!" I heard one of the approachers, a female, exclaim worriedly. "That way!"

"Is that him?" The accompanying male asked urgently.

Both of these voices sounded incredibly familiar. The boy was quicker to recognize them though.

"Hyeong-ah!" He shouted with all his might. "I'm here, nui!"

I put off getting angry at him for drawing attention as the disbelief has dawned on me like a slap to the face: ' _Hyeong-ah_ '?! Out of all people, _my_ Hyeong-ah?

And what did the boy call her? His _sister_?

Right, _my_ Hyeong did have two brothers. This boy in front of me must be the younger one.

"Geolsang! Geolsang!" Hyeong was yelling hysterically, running toward us as quickly as she could, the man right behind her. Once she came close enough I could see that _yes_ it was the Hyeong that I knew. My eyes widened slightly, in shock, but I quickly frowned to ensconce my surprise with disapproval, a sentiment that only grew stronger when I found out that she was accompanied by her betrothed, my 14th brother Jung.

Hyeong was equally stunned to see me. Actually, no, she was petrified. Whenever she saw me, she'd greet me with one of her best smiles. But this time she looked aghast and glanced between me and her brother.

"What's going on?" She asked, beside herself with worry. "Your Highness, please don't hurt my brother," she cried hoarsely. "Please, just let him go. He didn't do anything wrong; he just got lost! I promise!"

Actually she didn't need to ask; I had already retracted my arm and let my sword point at the ground, simply because I didn't want her to see me take a life. She was already so scared that she must be close to hyperventilating as her heavy breathing was all that I could hear. I remained focused on her while my 14th brother dashed to help the boy up. Jung said something too, probably attesting for the boy's innocence, but I wasn't paying attention. My sight was on Hyeong and she was a blubbering mess. I'd never seen her like this before and I didn't know what to do to remedy this.

"Hyeong-ah," I uttered uneasily. "It's alright. I won't hurt him."

I walked up to her and turned to face her properly, but that had allowed her to see the side of my face that blood was splashed onto when the assassins I hired were offed in front of me. It must've been why she screamed and scrambled backward once she saw my blood-covered face. The angle at which the moonlight hit me must have only made me look even more murderous and ghastly. Instinctively and in response, I took a few steps toward her, which only made her more frightened.

"Hyeong-ah, it's me," I said awkwardly, but I didn't think that helped.

"Stay away from her! Don't you dare hurt her, you murderer!" The boy bellowed at me. I scowled at him in umbrage. He sure had guts as soon as I withdrew my weapon.

"Murderer," Hyeong repeated, a whimper at first, not very audible. "Murderer?!" She raised her voice this time, sounding both appalled and horrified. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"3rd brother, whose blood is that?" Jung spoke up and pointed at my sword. He was calmer than the others but of course no less concerned. He just didn't feel that threatened by me and therefore did not freak out. He was confused but wasn't afraid of me. "What have you done?"

Time to cue a lie, then. "Jung-ah, listen to me," I said sternly. Whenever I used this tone with any of my younger brothers, they'd listen carefully to every word I said. I didn't need Jung to fear me; I just needed him to hear me out. "Back there, in the arena, you saw what happened. The assassins were going for the Fang Xiang Shi. Their target was the Crown Prince. You saw it with your own eyes, didn't you, Jung?"

"They were trying to kill our brother Mu?" Jung questioned.

"They were low enough to try to do that, yes. I was so livid just now that once I had caught them, I killed them all. I know, I was rash; I shouldn't have executed them on impulse and I should've captured them and brought them back to the palace for interrogation and for the Crown Prince to decide what to do with them. But it slipped my mind because I was just so angry with them that I put them to death," I explained as smoothly as possible. "It was done in a fit of pique. I couldn't let them get away with it."

Jung hesitated for a moment but nodded and seemed to buy it. "But Lord Geolsang isn't one of them. He's innocent. Why did it look as if you were trying to kill him as well?"

"What was I supposed to think? How could I have known? He shouldn't be here, right?" I said gruffly, scoffing at the boy.

"He was supposed to be evacuated with his sister," Jung answered, glancing at Hyeong, "from the arena once the fighting broke out. He got lost when they were on the streets just now."

"Is that so?" I snarled at the boy. "Well, I hope you've learned your lesson, boy. Don't go wandering into the woods when you've no business here. You could've gotten yourself killed."

He eyed me in both repugnance and fear as he scuttled toward his sister. They huddled together behind Jung, who told me that he'd bring them back to Hyunhui Mansion. I had his reassurance that he'd bring Hyeong back to her residence safely, but I was both anxious and angry that I was _seen_. I made up a lie off the top of my head but it had only assuaged my worry in that moment as I needed to give Jung an excuse. He looked convinced, and I was sure my mother would vouch for me in case he had any doubts, but I wasn't sure how many others buy it. In the long run, there were many things that I needed to think about, and discuss with my mother. But I didn't know how I was going to do that when my mind was filled with images of Hyeong and how afraid of me she was. She could not handle this side of me. I never meant to let her see me armed and covered in my hired assassins' blood, but it was still _me_ , and I was nothing but gentle to her. Yet one incident was enough to shatter and blacken whatever positive image she'd had of me. And I didn't know what this would mean for our relationship.

* * *

 **(Naklang Palace, Songak)**

Mother had just finished her bath. When she saw me, she dismissed her maids so we could talk in private. I poured tea for both of us as she said, in displeasure, "everything was ruined because _So_ got involved. We should've been congratulating you on becoming the new Crown Prince tonight."

"I've tied up our loose ends, neat and tidy. I've extirpated all of the assassins," I said in reassurance, deciding it was probably better to not tell Mother about the hiccup with the boy just now. I didn't want to put Mother in an even worse mood. So's involvement had already pissed her off and I wouldn't ever want to do anything to that effect. I needed to show that he and I were opposites. As long as I was in her favor, I'd be safe.

She pursed her lips in frustration. "The King will surely be delaying any plans to abdicate his throne for the time being. We wouldn't even have to do this if my attempt to poison the Crown Prince's food had worked. Not to mention the time I tried to..."

I had had a long, awful night and I honestly didn't have the energy to listen to her rant about her failed attempts in the past. It wasn't the first time and it might not be the last. Of course it wasn't going to be easy killing the Crown Prince. If it were, she'd probably have effortlessly succeeded the first time she tried, but she'd been trying for a _long_ time.

But fine, if she wanted to rant then so be it. If it made her feel better then by all means she could go ahead and do it. I knew how frustrated she felt because we were on the same boat. It's just that she couldn't understand the additional layer of frustration _I_ was feeling because I had Hyeong on my mind.

"Yo-ya!" Mother said sharply. "Are you even listening?!"

Right, she wasn't at all tired because she hadn't been going around dancing and fighting and chasing assassins.

"I apologize, Mother. Too much has happened today," I sighed. "Anyway, I am surprised that So stood in place of Mu," I commented. "Choi Jimong is also difficult to predict. The two of them most definitely have a relationship that no one knows about."

"It's just as Jung-ie said," Mother shook her head. "So must have learned martial arts. The Kangs would not have taught him. I need to know who he has met and what cards he has up his sleeve. Maybe if Choi Jimong is connected to this," she deduced and was surprised to come to conclude, "it could mean that the King is connected."

"However, I've heard that nobody in Shinju ever wants to go near him," I remarked. "Hold on. Actually, my uncle Wang Shikryeom is married to one of the Kangs. I'll contact him and query after whom So has been affiliating with. After all, we have confidence that our uncle is on our side."

She nodded warily. "Keep a closer eye on So. We should know what he is thinking in order to decide if we ought to chase him out or make him ours."

"Yes, Mother," I said obediently.

"Do not forget," she added, steadfast and determined, "Goryeo must belong to one of my sons."

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

It was pretty late at night when Choi Jimong came to the Damiwon to inform Princess Yeonhwa and Lord Geolha that the guards had found the assassins' corpses and would look into the case. It meant it would be safe for Yeonhwa to return to her residence, and it'd naturally be Geolha's job to escort her, whether or not he liked it.

Calmly, he walked her back to Yeondeok Palace, neither of them saying anything on the way. It was until they were at her doorstep that he said solemnly, "I hope that you can think about what I've said just now, Your Highness. Otherwise, I'm afraid there's no way our courtship can continue."

He knew she wanted to keep him, for many reasons, but she couldn't do that and continue to disrespect him at the same time. She pursed her lips and then said seriously, "I always think about the things you say, Lord Geolha, even when it's what I consider to be nonsense."

"Is that true, Princess, or are you just trying to flatter me?" He asked boldly, and in disbelief.

She retorted without missing a beat, "would I really deign to do the latter?"

He shrugged. "I'll see you soon, Princess Yeonhwa. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my Lord," she uttered and turned on her heel. Swiftly, he went home too. As he got close, he spotted the 14th Prince leaving Hyunhui Mansion, but His Highness had quickly left before Geolha could catch up. Anyway, it had been a long night. Making sure that his family members were all safe and sound, Geolha went to sleep.

* * *

 **(Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)**

Geolsang was lectured by his parents that night, rebuked for running off thinking he would be good enough to join the royal guards, who had had years and years of training, in search of dozens of assassins who had had just as much training if not more. As a result, he got grounded.

Even though he wouldn't dare tell anybody what he really saw, he didn't know for sure that the 3rd Prince Yo wouldn't send someone after him to keep his mouth shut permanently. The more he thought about it, the more he felt the need to be able to protect and defend himself.

"Please let me go to Howon Palace," Geolsang begged his parents relentlessly. "I'm just going to get the 14th Prince to teach me martial arts. I do that every day. At least once I get better at martial arts I can protect myself. I promise I'm not going to go anywhere apart from His Highness' residence."

Very, very reluctantly, Lord An and Lady Choi had permitted it, but required either Geolha or Hyeong to be his 'babysitter' and escort at all times. As Geolha was supposed to go to Heunghwa Palace to meet with the Crown Prince to discuss last night's events, Hyeong agreed to go with Geolsang to Prince Jung's residence.

For a few days, pretty much Jung was the only one that Hyeong had wanted to see. The sense of protection and security that Hyeong had immediately felt when he ran into her in the woods that night — she never thought she had _needed_ it. She continued to be plagued by nightmares of nonstop running and losing Geolsang, as well as the 3rd Prince Yo's bloodied face, and him ready to swing his sword to decapitate her brother. Not even Woljin could soothe her, but Jung could.

In all honesty, Hyeong had never expected to see the 3rd Prince in a vicious, murderous mode. To her, he was charming and gentle and nothing like the monster that he has presented himself to be, that haunting night in the forest. All she saw was that monster, and none of the Prince Yo that she was falling for. The only ever time she'd seen him get angry was when he was confronting her about her betrothal to Jung, but that wasn't even a fraction as scary as he was that night. She was traumatized and confused about her feelings, a troubling combination. Luckily, Jung's company could bring her comfort, so even though Geolsang didn't openly ask to go to Howon Palace, Hyeong still volunteered to bring him there.

For the whole week, Hyeong had been avoiding Prince Yo but he had come by Hyunhui Mansion to ask to see her. She was always with Jung in his residence instead, which Yo could've predicted. He even went to Howon Palace once or twice, but was politely turned down by his 14th brother as Jung knew that Hyeong did not wish to see the 3rd Prince.

"My Lady," said Woljin sadly and pleadingly as she helped Her Ladyship get dressed this morning. "Will Your Ladyship consider giving His Highness a chance? The 3rd Prince really wants to see you. And you used to always want to see him too."

Hyeong shook her head. She didn't think she could face him. She couldn't even recognize the person that he was when he was angry. She was unable to accept him as he was, or at least that part of him. She, too, wondered what this would mean for their relationship.

* * *

 **A/n: The title of this chapter is supposed to be referring to Yo's bad luck, first with failing to put Mu to death, next with failing to silence Geolsang permanently, and then with failing to get Hyeong back. Also the 'successive' was supposed to point to the change in the line of succession had Yo and Queen Yu been able to get rid of Mu. I really hope you guys liked this chapter! Please leave a review for me! Muah~ :***


	32. Hopes

**A/n:**

 **For those of you who have been patiently waiting for more Eun scenes and for eundeok to happen, I hear ya! Check out what this chapter has to offer. Good things are worth waiting till the end for. :P**

 **Also, I have not forgotten that Sinye is very popular with you guys. Therefore I'm giving her another chance to shine. Enjoy~**

* * *

 **(Heunghwa Palace, Songak)**

~Chronicler's POV~

The 4th Prince was led by the astronomer Choi Jimong to the Crown Prince's residence. He was curious as to why his presence was requested by Prince Mu, early in the morning. He had only hoped that he would not be delaying the Crown Prince's daily meetings with his own council.

So greeted his eldest brother formally and was allowed to take a seat. "What can I do for you?" He asked humbly.

Slightly apologetically, Mu asked So if he had recovered from the injuries he had sustained during the assassination attempt the night the exorcism ceremony was held. So was recovering quickly, but it was still unsettling for Mu to think that it could have been him getting hurt.

"I'm sorry. I wish our father the King could have been more solicitous about you," Mu replied with a sigh.

So nodded curtly, uncomfortable with the show of concern. "I appreciate the concern, but I am not worthy."

"I owe you one, 4th brother. I will repay you," said Mu seriously.

"You honestly don't have to do anything for me," So insisted respectfully.

"Even if it's not for you, I want to do what I believe is right. I will find a suitable time and place to put forward a request to our father the King. One that I think will be good for you," Mu revealed. "I will ask that His Majesty allows you to stay in Songak for at least awhile longer. I'm confident that you will be allowed to stay for the New Year, at least."

So's eyes lit up and gladly met his brother's. He wouldn't have to go back to Shinju. There was hope after all.

* * *

 **(Gyeongchun Palace, Songak)**

If you have very strong feelings for someone, you'd notice it quite effortlessly if and when that person feels troubled, or is acting differently, or both. That was the case with Lady Park Moongong. She had detected that something had changed within her husband, the 3rd Prince. Something was off. She wanted to know what was wrong, or why he was so irritable for the past week, but he wasn't willing to open up to her.

However, Prince Yo was much more willing to confide in Lady Sinye, and Lady Moongong knew that painful fact all too well. In quest of answers, she had to resort to a tactic that was cheap but was proven to be effective: eavesdropping.

After putting her kids to sleep by humming a tune to them, Moongong made sure to appear as if she was asleep too in her own bedchambers. But after a while she snuck out of her bedchambers and crept up to Sinye's, leaning close to the door so she could hear their conversation.

She felt like a teenager all over again, sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night. She did it mostly because her elder sister Moongeum did it a lot and it was usually to meet up with her lover. Other times they would try to spy on Father and see what Minister Park had been up to that he wouldn't disclose to his daughters. It was fun, until their younger sister Moonsung would get excited and make too much noise and the three sisters would have to retreat or risk getting caught.

But of course this time Moongong was serious and she was on a mission. It wasn't one of their childhood games anymore. She had managed to keep quiet, every step a tiptoe, until she found a suitable spot where she could crouch and eavesdrop.

"Truth is," she heard Yo say to Sinye, sounding truly troubled, "I'm afraid to lose her. She's supposed to be my light."

Moongong frowned to herself. Who was this woman that Yo was talking about and held in such high regard? What kind of a relationship did they share? Why was she so important to him? A series of questions had popped up in Moongong's head. She tried to make some guesses of her own. The only woman that Yo ever really cared about was his own mother. For now she thought it was unlikely that they were talking about a woman he was romantically interested in, since Sinye was allowed to know. Moongong deduced that it had to be something that they knew she'd be displeased with if she ever heard about it. Maybe even heartbroken.

"Prince Yo, I think I might have a suggestion," said Sinye, sleekly, a tone and a voice that disgusted Moongong. "It's going to sound wild and even risky, but given our circumstances…"

Moongong huffed to herself. She didn't seek to disparage Sinye; it was the other way around. She felt helpless and hopeless for not being able to give him counsel, for not being able to be the kind of wife that Yo needed, so that whatever he couldn't get from her, he'd get from Sinye, and that was why, she thought, he needed Sinye so much.

"I'm all ears," said Yo eagerly and urgently. "I'm really counting on you to help me. Please tell me there's still a chance I can get her back. All along I thought I just... _wanted_ her. But this week without her, I didn't get to see her smile, or feel her touch, or hear her voice...I'm suffering. And it's really making me believe that it's more than just attraction. It had to be something more. I think...I think, in some way, I _need_ her."

Moongong bit on her lip as she heard her own _husband_ say these words. Why...why did she have to be so affected by him? She knew, she married him for political reasons, an alliance between their families. But then she fell in love with him...and the more she tried to hide it and deny it, the more she was reminded of it, and the more it hurt.

"You _will_ get her back, if that is what you desire. You must have confidence, my Prince. Do not forget that it's one of the things that she liked the best about you," Sinye asserted. Now Moongong was livid. She would _never_ talk to His Highness using that tone, but Sinye dared, and what had made Moongong even more indignant was that Yo seemed to _like_ it and appreciate it when she spoke to him like that. Yo had his own reasons for that, but it was just unfortunate that they were unfathomable to Moongong.

"Tell me what I need to do," Yo replied, awaiting Sinye's instructions. He'd only act this way with Sinye; there was nobody else who could tell him what to do without getting on his nerves or landing themselves a harsh penalty.

"Propose to Princess Yeonhwa," Sinye revealed. Moongong's eyes widened and she fell back onto her bottom, covering her mouth to swallow the gasp that she would otherwise have let out.

"How would that have helped me with my situation with Lady Hyeong?" Yo questioned, muddled.

At the same time as listening to Sinye's explanation, Moongong frowned but was, in a way, pleased that she had the name Lady Hyeong as a clue as to who Yo was so stressed over.

"It would help _only_ if you do it at the right time and at the right place," Sinye emphasized. "It has to be right after the lunch hour, in Yeondeok Palace, preferably in the courtyard closest to their front gate."

"Why…?" Yo asked. Moongong desperately wished she could see his reaction with her own eyes.

"You'll see, Your Highness," Sinye said cryptically. "In the meantime, there's something else I can do on your behalf, as long as you approve of it."

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Yeonhwa's POV~

It was a half-hour before lunchtime when my maid Chaeryung had informed me that I had a visitor. Normally Lord Geolha would not come over in the morning since he was supposed to meet with the Crown Prince that he was so staunchly loyal to, so it was unlikely that he'd be showing up at my door now. But when I went outside I found that my visitor was someone even more unlikely — my 3rd brother's first wife, Lady Park, one of Minister Park Younggyu's daughters. She was even with her young son Lord Woongdo, and one of her maids was carrying her infant daughter Lady Younggi.

Before I could open my mouth to query after what Her Ladyship could be here for, my nephew had let go of his mother's hand and had scuttled toward me.

"Auntie!" He squealed and embraced my leg wholeheartedly.

I didn't know how to react. Fortunately Lady Park piped up. "Your Highness," she said, smiling thinly. "I hope we are not imposing on your time. It's been a while since Your Highness visited us at Gyeongchun Palace, and Woongdo misses his aunt."

"As I can see," I replied neutrally, obviously without a child's enthusiasm, but I was just unaccustomed to it and just surprised by their visit. I welcomed them into my residence anyway and had Chaeryung serve tea, and allowed them to stay for lunch.

"I haven't yet congratulated Your Highness on your courtship," she said to me once she got her son to sit quietly, occupying him with a toy. "How are things going between you and Lord An Geolha? Good, I hope?"

"Of course. The King's Majesty has chosen well for me," I replied smoothly.

"I am delighted to hear that," she replied perfunctorily. "Do you think you will be getting married soon, Princess Yeonhwa?"

"I leave everything to the King to decide. Should it please His Majesty for me to get married tomorrow, I will be ready and willing," I claimed. It was important that I presented the image of being an obedient and subservient daughter, even though I knew that I would never submit to any man. That way, they wouldn't even see it coming when I'd rise above them. Goryeo must belong to me.

Even though Lady Park claimed that she was bringing her son to see me because he missed me, I knew that she wanted something from me too. Information. Here she was, asking about my plans for marriage when she ought to know I had little say in it. Unless she was confident that somebody would be proposing to me, directly and personally. And she could only be troubled to come here personally because it concerned somebody she cared deeply about, which could only be either her own Park clan or her husband, my 3rd brother. Ah, that was it. I understood her concerns right away. I didn't sympathize with her, but I could understand it.

"Relax, Lady Park," I drawled nonchalantly. "Your status as a powerful Prince's first wife won't be shaken. I know what it means to you, and the power that comes with it."

She no longer eyed me as if I were pernicious to her marriage to my 3rd brother. I'd say she was surprised that I knew what she was thinking. "Do you think it's all about power, my Princess?"

I smiled nicely. "What else could it possibly be about?"

She faltered once more. "What about family, Your Highness?" She suggested.

"Well, you're not wrong," I replied, sticking to my usual sugary tone. Only inexperienced players like Lady Park would allow her emotions to flicker across her eyes so carelessly. "But only if you're sure that they're truly on your side."

"I...I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean, Princess Yeonhwa," she admitted.

"And I hope Your Ladyship never would have that misfortune." Even if I was bothered to explain it to her, there was no way she could possibly understand it unless she'd walked in my shoes. Come on, her most powerful rival was her husband's lowborn concubine, her father would never send her into exile, and she'd never have to worry about being sold as a bride to barbarians. She had none of my burdens. She just couldn't relate.

Chaeryung reentered the dining parlor, bowing at us. "Princess Yeonhwa, you have another visitor."

"I'll receive Lord Geolha in the side hall," I said to Chaeryung casually.

"Pardon me, my Princess. It's not His Lordship," Chaeryung said softly. "It's His Highness, the 3rd Prince."

Little Woongdo snapped to attention immediately, no longer interested in his toy. "Appa!" He said excitedly to his mother and broke into a smile.

Together with Lady Park, her children, and the maids that she was here with, we stepped outside. My 3rd brother looked exceptionally pleased to see me, but of course he was up to something. However, his facial expression changed, for a short second, when he saw that his wife and children were also here.

"Have you come to join us, 3rd brother?" I asked. My smile was an inviting one as I was curious as to what he would have wanted to say to me had his family not been around.

"Perhaps not today, Yeonhwa," he answered calmly. "I've just come to pick up my wife and kids."

Sooner than Lady Park could walk up to him, their son had once again bolted to his side and leaped onto his leg energetically. I watched as they made their way back to Gyeongchun Palace, the very image of a happy, loving family. I felt even colder watching my 3rd brother take off his cloak and wrap it around his wife's body. Even if it were just an illusion, it was something I never had, and I could not expect to ever get to experience it either. It was one of the sacrifices I had to make, but it was alright. It would be worth it. Everything would be worth it in the end, when I am Queen and Goryeo is mine.

* * *

 **(The royal court, Songak)**

~Eun's POV~

I had just finished lunch with my mother at our residence. The meal was alright, but I was sadder than ever because even when pear juice, my favorite drink, was served, I found it to be tasteless. I knew, it must be because Hae Soo wasn't around.

Bored and disheartened, I decided to go out for a walk. My mother urged me to bring a thicker cloak with me, but I paid no attention. As I meandered on, I felt a few drops of something small and cold on my nose. I scratched my nose and ignored it at first, but this continued. I looked down at my sleeves and at the ground, then up at the sky. It was snowing!

Normally, my reaction would be one of elation and thrill as that meant soon I'd be able to play in the snow. A snowball fight with my brothers was just the best thing ever. However this time, I just couldn't bring myself to be exhilarated. I just pouted and inspected my fingernails to find that snapweed did remain; my nails were still dyed orange.

Hae Soo told me that I only needed to wait till the first snow, and my first love would come to me. But then why wasn't she here? She was still miles away in Hwangju with her cousin and my 8th brother. Shouldn't she come to me by now? Was she on her way? How long would I have to wait? So many questions.

I huffed and let my shoulders slump. Could it be that she was lying to me?

No, Hae Soo would not be so cruel to me. She didn't seem like that type of person. Maybe she was on her way already. I might get to see her very soon.

Perplexed, I kept loitering, and soon reached the stables, where I saw my 13th brother.

"Baekah!" I called out and marched toward him. Seeing that he was preparing a carriage, I asked, "where are you on your way to?"

"I'm going to go to Hwangju, 10th brother," he answered.

"Oh! That means you'll see Soo, right?" I pressed on urgently. "Will you tell her that I miss her?"

"Of course," he replied lightheartedly. "I'll tell her that you miss being punched and beaten up, Eun."

"It was what led to my friendship with Soo. The black eye was worth it," I stated breezily. "Actually, Baekah, how come you're the only one who's allowed to leave the palace and go to Hwangju to visit Wook? I want to go too. I want to see Soo."

He laughed. "That's because I've a royal decree. Our father the King has instructed me to dress less like a Prince and mingle with the common people, then report to His Majesty what their lives are like. I also get to draw them."

"Oh...but can't I join you?" I requested pleadingly. "I can draw matchstick figures quite well," I boasted, doodling a human figure with my finger in the air.

"Most likely not this time. Sorry," he said. "But don't worry. Even if you didn't ask me, I'll still send Soo your regards. You must be really sad without her. If you weren't so down, you'd be asking me to postpone my trip so I could play with you."

"You understand me then, Baekah, but do you understand what it feels to not get to see your first love every day?"

He chuckled and looked away for a moment before answering, "I don't know, Eun. Maybe."

As soon as Baekah was out the gates, I heard the guards welcoming this guy, General Park Sukyung, back to Songak. He was on horseback and apparently his daughter was with him and both of them were wearing armor. A rare sight that a woman would be armed. Maybe my 14th brother would be interested, but I was not. I turned on my heel and, with a pout, decided to return to Rongjang Palace.

* * *

 **A/n: OMG...I got really excited writing this and the foreshadowing because I ship (and miss) eundeok. :3**

 **P.S. Do you think Sinye's plan is going to work? What else is she up to? Do you want Yo to get Hyeong back? Let me know in the review box below! *bows and exits the room***


	33. Alliance

**(The royal court, Songak)**

~Geolha's POV~

As usual, I was expected to go to the Princess' residence as soon as I had finished my lunch. On the way, I passed by Pyongso Residence which was the home of the astronomer Choi Jimong, and it was also where the 4th Prince So was staying at, for now. It was still unknown if His Highness would have to go back to Shinju, or if King Taejo would allow him to stay at Court.

Speaking of, the 4th Prince himself was just exiting Pyongso Residence. I bowed at him and greeted him.

"I remember you," he said coolly but not callously. "You're Lord An Geolha."

"I am honored, Your Highness," I replied. "It has been a while since we had last met."

"We would have had the chance to talk, but you were in such a hurry last time when I saw you at the stables," he stated, almost in curiosity.

I frowned slightly. "I'm afraid I don't recall, my Prince." The last time I was at the stables had to be because I needed to get out of the palace, and I'd only do that because...I needed to meet Moongeum. Crap. I was in such a rush that I hadn't even noticed Prince So's presence.

"Never mind," he said brusquely. I'd better just let him think that I must've had some urgent business to attend to. "Anyway, I've been to the mortuary to inspect the corpses of the assassins. I've discovered a clue, and I find it most strange that all of them had their tongues cut out. Literally silencing them and preventing them from telling a soul who'd hired them to do this."

"What?!" I almost exclaimed. "I fail to see why any gang would do that to its members," I shook my head, but was hit by an epiphany. "Unless...unless they're monks."

"Monks?" Prince So eyed me skeptically.

I nodded. "Or at least they used to be, but they broke their vows, and therefore had their tongues removed as punishment," I explained. "But that's just my guess, Your Highness. It's an outmoded practice. Maybe monks don't do that anymore."

He seemed to believe me. Even though half of his face was covered, I could still see it in his eyes that he was desperately hoping that my conjecture was not the only explanation. He even looked as if he'd had a revelation of his own too, but then his face then contorted in anger.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" I inquired cautiously. Did I say something wrong?

My eyes widened as he got even angrier. He said nothing to me, and instead stormed off.

"Your Highness?" I called out, but he ignored me.

I sighed lightly, but had to get on with what I was supposed to do, and soon reached Yeondeok Palace. What I saw and _who_ I saw right at the courtyard, however, had shocked me.

* * *

 **(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)**

~Yeonhwa's POV~

My 3rd brother had swung by my residence again today. I had intended to receive him indoors so we could sit down comfortably in the vestibule, but he just refused, and dragged me outside, adamantly and aggressively. What did he want from me?

"What important thing did you need to talk to me about?" I demanded in exasperation and wriggled free from his grasp. I didn't like the feeling of his hand firm around my wrist.

"You," he said sternly, _but_ he actually looked earnest, which had me even more addled, as it was not congruent with the way he was raised to be. "Just come to me."

"...what?" I remained stoic, albeit slightly perturbed. Where was this even coming from?

"You could be the Queen of Goryeo," he stated, his tone strong and resolute as befitted him. "But the lady of a powerful household?" He huffed sardonically. "I can't bear to see that."

Ah, I knew that sincerity was a façade; how ironic! I gave him just as fake a smile in return. "Then...how high do your dreams go?"

"My dreams?" He replied, sounding fascinated but also belittling. "You want to argue that even in your desperate situation." He had the audacity to laugh, but that had surprised me no longer. "My dream," he revealed, with certainty, "is Goryeo."

I chuckled. "You are very fearless."

He, of course, knew that wasn't a compliment. "I know you'd prefer Wook on the throne. But even if he becomes King, you are still only a Princess. Will you really be content with that?" He challenged. "However, if your husband is a king, that changes things, doesn't it?"

"It most certainly does, 3rd brother," I said slyly. "However, I would not be a first wife, so I cannot be a queen," I added. "Can you give up your past marriages for me?"

Even if he could take the throne, it would be his first wife and the mother of his children who'd become Queen. He simply could not give me what I wanted. And then after Lady Park, there was still his concubine, Lady Jo, who had to be someone he really valued and treasured. Otherwise there was no way he'd deign to marry her. She had commoner roots but that had in no way made her a _common_ girl.

He gave me a scornful look, partnered with a unequivocal rebuff. "I won't give up what is mine in order to gain a girl."

"Might I remind you I'm not just any girl," I stated, quick to refute and correct him. "It must have slipped your mind that I am considered to be the most qualified candidate for the future Queen of Goryeo."

He didn't stop glowering at me, which was why his next move had taken me off guard even though I had seldom ever allowed myself to be startled like this. Only my 3rd brother would have the guts to do this. He had grabbed my waist and pulled me in abruptly. Alarmed, I glared at him as if that could get him to back off.

"Let go," I demanded, and tried to used my free hand to try to push him away, but he only used more force and I realized that there was truly no escape.

"Do you have another choice besides me?" He retorted. I felt as if my feet couldn't even touch the floor as I tried to rid myself of his touch, but he was _much_ stronger than I could've expected. What was he doing? Why was he leaning in? Goodness, was he trying to...kiss me?

"Your Highnesses…?"

Both of us turned to face the person who had — thank the heavens — stepped in. Yo let go of me and I was thankful that I no longer had to tolerate feeling his breath on my face. He was _that_ close. But I didn't dare exhale just yet. I saw the chance to untangle him from me and I took it without second thoughts, making sure to stay a few feet away from him so he couldn't try anything again.

I was sure he was enraged, but he just looked unimpressed as he eyed Lord Geolha and enquired acidly, "is _this_ your better option, Yeonhwa?"

I suppressed the urge to scowl and forced myself to remain composed. Of course marrying Lord Geolha would not make me Queen, but at least His Lordship would not make such unwelcome advances.

"Am I...interrupting something?" Geolha asked awkwardly.

Yo ignored him completely and said inexorably to me, "we'll talk later." Swiftly, he had turned on his heel and exited my residence.

I turned to Geolha, still feeling uneasy. "Thank you," I uttered.

He looked surprised not so much by what he'd just walked in on but rather by what I had said.

"I _am_ capable of gratitude, you know," I added.

"But never of showing it, I thought," he countered.

I sighed inwardly and led him indoors so we could sit down and talk. "Why did you do it?" I inquired unemotionally. "Why did you step in? You could have just let him go ahead with it."

"Well, Your Highness…" He was surprised, again, that he was expected to explain himself. "I could see that you were in a position that you didn't want to be in. You looked very uncomfortable. I didn't have the time to think what His Highness could be coercing you into; my instinct was just to prevent it."

"You mean...you just did it out of...kindness?" A slight frown had crept onto my face for a brief moment.

He sighed. "You think everybody has an agenda, some sort of ulterior motive, just because you do. If you ask me, Princess, it's pathetic, really. Sad."

"I don't want your pity," I stated, adding a smile so I wouldn't sound curt. "There are a few things I want from you, but pity is not one of them."

"There are a lot of things Your Highness wants," he replied drawly. "But I'm afraid you won't be able to get them from the 3rd Prince."

Smiling instead of scoffing, I said, "if you're going to give me that advice, my Lord, show me a better option."

"Whoa, hold on, Princess Yeonhwa," he said hastily yet seriously. "I'm not in the position to give you advice, Your Highness."

"Really?" I said. I could've huffed, but I didn't. "You're in the position to give advice to a future King. Why not to a future Queen?" I questioned. It must sound sweet and flattering. "Ah, that's right. It's because you don't serve anybody but the Crown Prince."

"My advice. Is that one of the things that you want from me, Princess?" He enquired, as if he was tempted. But I couldn't trust his counsel if I was not the only one that he was loyal to. "I can't and won't give Your Highness anything more than what I'm required to. Especially since I'm not getting anything in return," he grumbled.

"You want something in return?" I raised my eyebrows, but expelled the skepticism and replaced it with a beguiling smile. "I suppose anyone would agree that you do deserve something in return, after saving the damsel in distress out of a kind heart."

"This isn't a bedtime story for children, Princess Yeonhwa. I'm not going to defeat the evil overlord, rescue you, and ride off into the sunset to have our happily ever after," he said bitterly. "There is literally _nothing_ about this courtship that makes me want to stay. You and me, we couldn't be more different if we tried."

"There has to be something we have in common," I insisted. He'd be much easier to deal with if I could remind him of a mutual goal, or something along those lines.

"Are you sure, Your Highness? Because last time I checked, all you want is power, but all I want is love," he argued, losing his patience.

"Don't you know that love makes you weak?!" I seethed, losing my temper too. How in the world was I supposed to deal with this fool?! I could not tolerate his silly ideals any longer. With that mindset, how was he even able to survive at the royal court? It was a mystery to me. Normally, with everybody else, I could just plaster a smile across my face and sugarcoat my words and get what I want. But this was near impossible with Geolha. None of my facades got me what I wanted when I was dealing with him. It was an understatement to say that I was frustrated. I had had a lot of practice with concealing my emotions, but all of that had failed me when I was in his presence. How come?

"No!" He proclaimed, loudly and defiantly. "You're wrong, Princess!" He gritted his teeth. "Love makes us strong. Love gives us the courage to protect the ones we love, and the strength to protect those who love us."

"Protect?!" I exclaimed. This was ridiculous. I hardly ever raised my voice because I was a _Princess_ and ought to be mindful of decorum, but this?! I just couldn't believe that his mind could be full of such fallacies. My sweaty palms and quickening breath did little to aid me in staying calm and collected. "What, exactly, do you think you're going to use to protect your _love_ if you don't have _power_?!"

He could be roaring at me if he got any angrier. But then he had suddenly calmed down, and the indignant expression on his face had vanished. Instead, he just looked astonished.

"That's it," he uttered, with his eyes wide. "Protection," he explained quietly. "We want the same thing. We just seek to do it by different means."

This argument was so heated that I was sweating, but in that instant I _shivered_ because I realized that he had a point. He was right! That was indeed our common ground.

"Then, we're not so different," I replied, gradually cooling off from our intense quarrel too. "We don't have to be at each other's throats, or constantly try to prove the other person wrong. We can be allies," I said with one big breath, exhaling in relief.

"Allies, yes," he nodded willingly. "We can work together," he said softly, but sounded determined. "For sure, Princess Yeonhwa, this will make our courtship a more functional one."

"A more meaningful one, too," I added in genuine agreement and understanding, sentiments I never thought were necessary to the maintenance of our relationship. We were finding a much more compelling reason to work with each other. This was beyond my father the King's original intention of having Lord Geolha court me. What an unexpected turn our conversation had taken.

* * *

 **A/n: Do you think Yeonhwa and Geolha can move past their differences and work together? :DDDD**


End file.
